Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long, I 've been really busy and just couldn't find the time. But I have been planning for NaNoWriMo for months now, so you should really thank that for getting this update. Thanks for all the reviews! They really made my day and I was surprised by the overwhelming response for this again!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inheritance Cycle Series or the Lord of the Rings

Note: Dwarvish will be indicated with italics!

Acceptance For Who You Are

Eragon followed the retreating form of Gandalf, jogging up the steps and taking them three at a time before becoming level with the elderly man.

"Who was that, Gandalf?" Eragon instantly questioned, unable to stop himself from looking over his shoulder and peering at the forest that lay just beyond the gates, as if he could still see the mysterious elf among the branches.

He heard Gandalf release a soft chuckle, causing the Dragon rider to look at the elderly man before his attention was snagged by the craftsmanship of the hallways he found himself in. Taking in the delicate carvings and neatly layered stones that made up the walls and floor.

Another chuckle escaped the man as the two rounded a corner before starting to answer the question, "That was Lord Glor-"

But the rest of the statement was lost on Eragon as a door closest to him opened and he had the misfortune of colliding with the individual who stepped out. A sharp intake of breath escaped his lips as his hand instantly flew up to hold his slightly bruised chest, eyes glancing down in surprise at the two individuals that stood before him.

"Watch were you are going, Son of Man." The dwarf closest to him snarled, eyes alight with a fire that surely promised pain should he so much as breathed the wrong way.

Eragon couldn't stop his eyes from widening as he looked at the two dwarves, his memory filling with images of other dwarves who he now realized he missed more than he thought he would. He took in the two's armor and their similarities, deducing that the two must have been closely related, maybe even father and son. But he soon quelled his curiosity of the two newcomers when he caught a glimpse of the younger's eyes, knowing that if the dwarf had the ability to throw fire Eragon would have already been a chard pile of limbs already.

Eragon offered the dwarves a small smile, before falling into all of his drilled in mannerisms, courtesy of his dear adopted family.

"My sincerest apologizes, Master Dwarf." Eragon murmured, placing his hand over his heart before bowing politely to the two. "I was not paying attention to where I was going. I will be sure to be more aware next time."

He couldn't stop the small quirk of his lips when he saw the startled looks on the two before him, before the offended dwarf turned the slightest shade of crimson and crossed his arms over his chest in an attempt to hide his uncertainty.

"Very well," The younger dwarf grumbled, his eyes not looking at Eragon in the slightest. "See that you do."

Eragon nodded his head in confirmation, before tradition over took his mouth once more.

"May your mines be rich and your homes golden."

Again he was greeted with shocked expressions that were soon broken by the elder's roar of laughter.

"You are alright, good Sir." The elder responded in a gruff voice, his smile bright as he clapped Eragon's lower back in a show of friendly acceptance. "Be sure to sit with us at evening meal, we will gladly share a round of mead with you."

Eragon watched as the duo walked off, the younger clearly flabbergasted by the elder's attitude to the man while the elder simply waved off any of his protests. Eragon couldn't stop the full smile that claimed his lips as he watched them disappear around a corner before turning his brown gaze back to the elderly wizard who was looking at Eragon with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"I am surprised, Eragon." Gandalf muttered softly, starting to walk once more down the halls, but his eyes remained with the dragon rider. "I did not know you knew the ways of the Dwarves."

Eragon simply shrugged his shoulders as he fell into step with the grey man, his mind once more wandering to the time he had lived among the accomplished miners.

"I was once close friends with the Dwarves of my homeland." Eragon answered easily, avoiding the look that clearly asked for more information by returning to the conversation that had been interrupted by the dwarf's entrance. "Anyway, you were saying something about a Lord?"

But before words could be exchanged, they rounded another corner that lead them to a hall with a stunning set of carved wooden doors, one in particular was left a jar.

"I am afraid that conversation will have to wait." Gandalf murmured as they made their way to the door and into the light and spacious room where a man sat next to what appeared to be a sleeping child.

*~*~*(BREAK)*~*~*

Gandalf couldn't stop his smile as he watched the hobbits talk and laugh as they bonded over the evening meal, easily ignoring all eyes that were being directed at them. He couldn't stop, however, the small crease of his brow and the tiniest of frowns from coming to his face as his mind wandered to the only hobbit that was still sleeping within the Hall of Healing, worry tearing at his insides for the young man and fearing the current dilemma that they were facing over the darkness gradually creeping in on them.

His mind was pulled out of his downward spiraling thoughts as his gaze once more tuned into his surrounding and his eyes lighted onto the dwarves who were being equally as rowdy as the young hobbits, causing the elderly maia to shake his head slightly as he saw a few disgusted looks being directed towards the dwarves by the elves. Knowing in the back of his mind that as the apparently last of his order to be fighting on the side of the light, he would have to find a way to unite the elves and the dwarves if they wished to have any hope in fighting the coming war that was fast approaching them.

Suddenly his mind flashed with an image of a young man who not only rode a large dragon, but had also seemed to have gain acceptance among both feuding parties.

Maybe there is still hope for them yet. Gandalf mused, his mind turning to the memory of the Son of Man's encounter with Gloin and his son Gimli along with his later meeting with Lord Elrond. Smiling when he recalled the healers surprise when Eragon had greeted the Lord of Imladris in a form of elvish that was both respectful and a clear indication that he spoke the language frequently, leading the grey wizard to wonder where Eragon must have learned the elvish language in such a dialect.

Where is that rider anyway? Gandalf pondered as he scanned the hall for the tall man who those deep brown eyes and tangled brown mess of locks that practically obscured his entire face had gotten off to. But his memory caught back up to him as he remembered Lord Elrond ordering the man to bathe and eat before coming back to him to receive proper bandages and some healing remedies. Maybe he is still bathing…

But just then, the hall seemed to fall quiet as a man strode into the room, his shoulder blade length wavy hair styled into a more typical warrior braids, revealing a set of pointed elven ears that only seemed to intrigue the dining crowd as they took in the elf's young and unique features.

Gandalf couldn't stop himself from wondering who this mysterious elf was, before he noticed the young elf making his way over to the grey wizard.

Gandalf looked up to catch the young man's eyes only to gap a little unattractively at the very familiar brown eyes that seemed to only laugh at his current shock.

"What's wrong, Gandalf?" Eragon teased the elder man, before gracefully lowering himself into the seat across from the wizard who was still mimicking a fish while the hall was watching their exchange with whispers of confusion.

"Dragon got your tongue?" Eragon questioned softly, his shoulders shaking slightly at the laughter that was sure to be just beneath the surface at the same time his eyes sparked with the secret joke being share by the two.

Gandalf was able to gather his frazzled thoughts together, closing his mouth and shooting a mock glare at the dragon rider.

"Why didn't you ever tell me, Eragon?" Gandalf inquired equally as soft, ignoring the room at large as his gaze took in the almost new person sitting before him. "How is this even possible? How are you an elf?"

Eragon simply cocked a brow at the hushed questioning, helping himself to the fruit and breads spread out on the table, his face twisting ever so slightly into a look of disgust and longing, which Gandalf did not even think was a possible feature to accomplish, as he eyed the meat that was there as well.

"I am only half elf." He responded simply, not really bothering to keep his tone low and paying no heed to the mix of emotions that seemed to overtake the room at large. "As to why, I didn't think I was hiding it. I thought it was obvious…"

Gandalf couldn't stop the slight choke of disbelief as he looked at Eragon with another look of surprise.

"How would anyone be able to tell you were an elf with the way you wore your hair and you had a beard before!" Gandalf accused, no longer trying to keep their conversation a quiet one.

Eragon rolled his eyes as he took a mouthful of a roll, savoring the flavor for a moment before deeming the older man's comment worthy of a very obvious answer.

"Again, I am a half elf." Eragon stated slowly, as if he were talking to a child, unable to hide his amusement at the way Gandalf seemed to puff up in slight indignation at the tone. "As such I kept a lot of traits from my human self, though I gain quite a bit from my elven side as well."

Just then, a thought seemed to strike Eragon which caused him to stand suddenly, surprising the old wizard once more.

"My apologies, Gandalf." Eragon offered gently, standing to his full height and nodding his head quickly at the grey wizard. "I will return shortly, but I have another engagement that I must fulfill."

Gandalf couldn't stop the confusion that clouded his face as he watched the dragon rider turn on his heel and begin to make his way across the hall. Only for his eyes to widen in shock at the young man's direction and what table he was making his way to.

*~*~*(BREAK)*~*~*

Eragon made short work of the spacious hall, ignoring the eyes that followed his every movement. He pulled up next to the table that contained the dwarves, noticing some hostile looks from the others while he scanned for the two dwarves who had wanted to share drinks with him. Spotting the duo sitting towards the other end of the long table and hastening his steps over to them, feeling a little put off at the looks being sent his way by the younger dwarf that he had met prior that day.

Eragon looked from the younger's face to the elder's, noting the slight frown that marred the dwarf's face and the slight narrowing of the eyes, almost causing Eragon to take a step back from the once welcoming pair.

"What do you want elf?" a dwarf Eragon did not recognize spat out at him, his eyes glinting with restrained hatred, surprising Eragon by its intensity.

"I was asked to partake in a flagon of mead, earlier today by this sir." Eragon answered smoothly, gesturing towards the elderly dwarf who now seemed to look like he was placed between a rock and a hard place. "I have come to do just that."

All the dwarves seemed to share looks with each other, as if they were having a discussion over what they should say next to him. Eragon sighed in a tiny bit of annoyance, deciding that the conversation was not really worth having and sitting down on the bench across from the father and son who had invited him in the first place.

"Who said you could sit here, Elf?" the younger snarled, looking as though he were trying to reach for a weapon only to pull his hand away empty and grumble in dwarvish, "Elves! Thinking they can do whatever they want and ruining our good cheer. Why don't you go back to your pointy eared kin with their haughty arrogant attitudes!"

Eragon's eyes narrowed at the words, his temper rising against his better judgment and his mouth releasing words before his brain could catch up.

"For your information, Master Dwarf, I have not always been an elf and even now, I am only a half elf." Eragon bit out, glaring right back into the now very surprised eyes staring into his own. Ignoring the table and the whole hall in his conversation.

"H-How do you know the tongues of dwarvish?" The younger dwarf stammered out in the common tongue, trying in vain to make his voice stronger.

Eragon paid no notice to the flipping of languages, deciding to stick with the one that would have the most impact on the clearly hateful dwarves.

"Where I am from, I was adopted into a clan of dwarves. They treated me as their kin and I see them as much a part of my family as the elves or even my human family." Eragon retorted, unable to stop his voice from dropping into his quiet deadly tone, "There are no barriers between us except the ones you are trying to create at this moment."

The hall seemed to become utterly still and quiet at this statement, the elves, hobbits, and men confused as to what was being said and the dwarves shocked into contemplated silence, with Eragon's full attention directed at them. Without warning, the elderly dwarf Eragon had been directing his somewhat harsh words at, roared with laughter, causing a vast majority to jump in their seats and stare incredulously at the apparently crazy dwarf.

"I like you, Master of the Quick Wit!" the dwarf boomed, clapping his hand onto Eragon's own in that friendly gesture that suited the dwarf much more than the scowls his kin were directing at him only moment before. "Tell us of your time among our kin. What were the state of their mines and what material did they mine there?"

The elderly dwarf began to fire off question after question, pushing a plate of meats at Eragon along with a currently empty flagon.

The dwarf seemed confused for a moment before he turned to his younger companion, who was holding a pitcher full to the brim with the strong alcohol.

"Come now, Gimli! Can't you see the poor man is battling a great thirst? Pass the mead!" the elder of the two ordered, clapping the now introduced Gimli firmly on the back, almost causing him to pitch forward and spill all the contents of his pitcher across the table.

Gimli was able to catch himself, grumbling under his breath as he reached over and filled Eragon's mug to just below the brim, nodding his head slightly when Eragon offered his thanks.

"Now, Master Elf, What shall we call you?" The elder questioned, looking truly interested as to what the answer would be while the rest of the hall broke into its buzz of conversations and the rest of the dwarves at the table hurriedly poured their own flagons of the mead murmuring among themselves and shooting Eragon looks of interest as well.

Eragon couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips as he raised the mug off the table and brought it just to the edge of his smiling lips.

"I am Eragon…"

*~*~*(BREAK)*~*~*

Eragon grimaced as those skilled fingers poked his ribs once more, tracing his broken bones with precision. Eragon couldn't help the mild glare that he shot at the healer, the Lord of the city who he had met only a few hours ago. When he had met the man, he was told to bath and receive a small meal before returning to the hall of healing. He and Gandalf had been lead to rooms that were said to be theirs for as long as they remained in Rivendell and was shown to the bathing chamber before being left to his own devices.

Eragon had marveled at the expansive rooms, the soft bed and fabrics that had been provided for him. He had bathed quickly, enjoying the feel of the hot water on his war tired body before dressing in some fresh clothes that he had been provided by his gracious host.

And once he had made it to the evening meal, he had shared quite a few flagons of mead with the boisterous dwarves, that was soon accompanied by the hobbits and a few of the men. However, it seemed all the elves only looked on the joyous crowd with a mixture of contempt, confusion, and not the smallest bit of curiosity.

But once Eragon spotted the Lord rising to his feet and make his way from the room, he quickly excused himself from the mass of party goers and hurried after the elf, knowing that he was most likely making his way toward the Hall of Healing.

He hissed when the Lords fingers began to massage an ointment into his skin, drawing him out of his thoughts and to the elf before him. He took in the man's long and straight brown hair, noticing his features were a little bit more manish than elvish and wandered for the briefest of moments if this Lord was in fact a half-elf like himself.

He watched as a clean white bandage was produced, almost as if the man had pulled it from the very air, and was expertly wrapped around his bruised chest. The elf Lord did not make it too tight, but definitely tight enough to where it would be difficult for Eragon to bend over.

"So, Master Eragon," the Lord began, his brown eyes not moving away from Eragon's chest as he continued his work. "What is it you seek here, besides my healing?"

Eragon was a little startled at the Lord's question, feeling himself stumble for an answer that would not reveal Saphira just yet.

"I was hoping you could provide me with answers." Eragon replied simply, noticing the elf Lord cocking an eyebrow at him that clearly asked for more of an answer than that. "I want to know about the land and if you have any information on dragons."

Eragon watched as the Lord of Rivendell's fingers paused for the briefest of moments, his eyes connecting the with dragon rider's before going back to what he was previously doing.

"Why would you want to know about dragons?" Lord Elrond questioned slowly, his every moment betraying his sudden weariness of the traveler who had saved Gandalf.

Eragon tried not to fidget at the tone, sensing he was treading into dangerous waters and decided that the truth was the best option if he wanted the truth in return.

"I am not from this area," Eragon offered up simply, knowing that if it wasn't his dialect that gave him away, then surely it is the way of his dress. His clothes were made of sturdy material and leathers that he did not see any other inhabitant of this world wearing.

Eragon noticed that the Lord seemed to nod ever so slightly at these words, as if he too had noticed the strange clothes that Eragon favored and the foreign dialect he used to form his elven words.

"I am also very interested in the dragons that I have heard Gandalf speak of." Eragon continued, knowing that this excuse was only a portion of the real reason for wanting to find the dragons.

Lord Elrond leveled another look at Eragon, as if he were judging his very soul before the look in his eyes softened and he sat down next to the dragon rider, collecting up his supplies that he had gathered in order to tend to the injured half elf.

"I do not know what I could tell you." Elrond stated suddenly, startling Eragon out of his inspection of the clean bandages bound tightly around his torso. "Right now is not the greatest of times for such things. We are currently busy with guests arriving and a council that is to take place. I could take you to the library if that could satisfy your curiosity for the time being."

Eragon pondered over these words, stamping down his curiosity and his desire to question why so many were gathering and what was this council he was speaking of. But an image of a dark figure clad in black armor with a golden ring adorning his finger flashed before his eyes, causing the dragon rider to shake his head slightly as he tried to reach for the name of the phantom that had sent a feeling of dread down his spine, only to come up with nothing.

Eragon startled again when he felt a hand descend onto his shoulder, fighting against his instinct to remove the hand in the most painful of ways, and met the concerned gaze of Elrond, realizing to late that he must of spaced out on the other elf and quickly smiled to sooth the worry that was being directed at him.

"That would be wonderful," Eragon agreed, feeling a small bubble of anticipation fill his chest at the thought of getting his hands on the books that could lead him to the dragons, unable to stop the truly genuine smile that touched his lips. "Thank you."

*~*~*(END CHAPTER)*~*~*

So? What did you think of it? I know it was a filler but we are making our way through! Please leave reviews! ^_^