Chapter X

Lothron 22nd 3002 T.A

Lami had now moved into 'The Apothecary's Satchel' and was around much more than Eliel liked but she never complained because she needed help around the shop and her company was refreshing. They had to share the one other bed that was in the house as there was no other room, which sometimes caused quarrels in the early hours of the morning. One morning, before dawn, Lami had decided to trek out to collect a species of flower that only bloomed for a certain time of a day. That left Eliel unaccompanied in the morning, wish made her miss the teenager.

She decided to sit by her mother's bed and talk to her when she wakes up. Eliel sat on an unsteady chair and glanced around Sonir's room noting that it had been a while since she looked around. While remaining on the chair she faced the small dresser and that is when it caught her eye, a smooth rune of some sort. She picked it up in her hands and traced her thumb over the foreign runes.

"That belonged to your mother" Sonir's voice startled Eliel as she was too busy focused on the rune stone. "What does it say?"

"I do not know my dear, she stared at it every day. It must have meant a great deal to her." She stared at the girl but could not see her face due to her hair braided to one side.

"How did you know she stared at it every day?" Her eyes glinted with anticipation as she turned and looked "Because I lived with her when I was very young, not for long though only until she had you."

"Did she die?"

"No my child, just left to another place with a very close friend." Eliel was confused Sonir not only knew her mother but lived with her, she did not know whether to act in relief or anger. "What was her name?" Eliel spoke emotionless

"Tauriel. A Silvan elf. Stunned with beauty."

"Why are you only telling me this now? Why not when I was growing up?" Eliel could sense her anger rising but deemed it wise not to act out. "Because I am dying child, you will soon have no one. You need a chance to try to reconnect with her and yourself."

"What about my father?" Eliel questioned

"From what I can remember is that he died in the Battle of Five Armies. And before you ask, I do not know much about him just that his name was Kili" Sonir could finally tell her daughter, nothing stopped her before except that she was afraid Eliel would run off to find her parent. "What happened mother? Tell me the full story from what you can remember. Please." Begged Eliel

"You know the story of Smaug correct?" she continued after a nod from her daughter "I was a young girl, no older than 10 and our home was destroyed by the dragon. We were living in Lake Town of course which burned to ruins, I lost my brother in those fires. My grandmother Rayya thought it be wise to travel south, away from the city of Dale which then was a tomb of its past self. We had followed the river when we came across fleeing orcs. We would have died if it was not for the Prince of Mirkwood, His name is Legolas Greenleaf. In return my grandmother offered help to the unconscious elf on the back of his horse, your mother." All of this was new to Eliel, this was not the story she had been told. "We found an abandoned cottage and stayed there until you were born, Tauriel struggled very much during childbirth and did not take it so well. Then we heard your cries and you were such a beautiful child, you cried as if you knew you hurt your mother and she would have loved you so much"

"Then why didn't she take me with her? Why did you and Rayya raise me?"

"She did not know you survived, my grandmother told her that you had died. The reason why she did that is because she assumed since your father was not an elf you would live your life in shame and Tauriel would not love you. But I knew she did" Eliel was shocked, the story she had just been told was worse than not knowing how she was. She had never experienced this many emotions before. "You took me from my mother because you assumed she would not love me?" Eliel was livid she could barely remain in the same position. "I am sorry, I will not ask for forgiveness. This burden had been bitter for quite some time." Sonir replied calmly as if she expected it. "It was never your mother's fault. If she knew she would have kept you in a heartbeat and I am certain about that because you are the only thing that reminded her of your father. Well beside this stone but I believe she would have preferred a breathing link."

"Did you know him?" Eliel still had the stone grasped in her hands

"I did not have that pleasure, I believe he must have been a great man to have won Tauriel's heart"

"What was his name again?" She had calmed down somewhat but still her emotions ran high. "Kili. That is all I know of him" Eliel was still processing the fact she was basically stolen because of assumptions. "He died defending his uncle at the Battle of the Lonely Mountain"

She looked down at the only connection she has to her mother and father and spoke up "I do not blame you mother" she turned and faced the dying woman. "Eliel, I want you to go find out about them. Discover who you really are. I know nothing of you except a name and neither do you." Eliel ran her thumb over the smooth rune stone again and realized woman was right. "I will bring in some tea" she kissed her Sonir on the forehead which was usual for the half-breed. "You will always be my mother" and walked out.