Chapter XXVIII

13th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

The last thing Eliel expected was her presence being anticipated by these dwarves. Had Kili somehow gotten word to his brother first or had news of the prison escape put Erebor on edge? Eliel followed the stumpy dwarf, watching him waddled through the maze like structure and hearing the clinks and clangs of his weapons and jewelry against his amour. As for where he was taking her she had no idea, Eliel was taken too much with the intricate detail of the layout of this place and she swore they were just going around in circles.

This place was making Eliel dizzy, the lack of food and water in her body was affecting her and the running and energy used to get here did not help her condition but yet she powered on not letting people see that she was unwell.

Finally they had reached a door that led into what Eliel was told was the royal wing a place which houses the king and all lines of his bloodlines. The dwarf led her into a foyer which before and above the feast room. "Most meals are taken place here" he spoke as they made their way down the stairs and across the room and towards another stone staircase. This one led up towards the king's office where most dealings and business was discussed. The dwarf gave a sturdy knock on the wooden door which echoed through the halls, he pushed the door open. Obviously the knock was to alert whoever was on the other side about their presence.

Eliel stayed hidden beside the door and could not see who occupied the room. She clutched her journal in her arms and took a deep breath preparing to tell her story. She saw the dwarf bow in the doorway "Mister Gandalf, I have in my presence one young girl by the name Eliel Nirn." He stepped out of the pathway and held out his left hand.

'Gandalf?' Eliel thought, her curiosity had peaked and she walked cautiously towards door and peered inside. Gandalf was indeed in the room and not to mention five dwarves and a hobbit. Eliel had looked around the room and saw that everyone looking back at her. "Let me introduce everyone."

"This is prince Fili. King of Erebor. His mother lady Dis and Uncle Thorin Oakenshield. The Princesses of Erebor Dis II and Dina. This my friend Bilbo Baggins and this is Tauriel." He stepped aside and hidden behind him was a slender elf with flowing red hair, a graceful stance and elegant facial features. Eliel stood still, staring at the elf, her body overcame with an emotion that she had not felt since Sonir, like a part of her had been restored. Any movement Eliel had was now restricted with things she could not explain, she stood still even when Tauriel started to approach her. The elf stood taller than her had to look down when standing face to face. Tauriel reached out and cupped Eliel's face in her hand, tracing the scars on her face with her thumbs, she was gentle and compassionate and Eliel got that through her motherly touch. "My sweet Eliel." She whispered then embraced her long lost daughter.

Eliel relaxed slightly in her mother's arms and Tauriel felt her body calm into hers. Tauriel released the girl but held had a hold on her shoulders staring intently at her. Their kindhearted contact was broken by the dwarf king. "We have to inform Kili, he should return in the next days but we can get a messenger to Dale by tonight."

"Kili knows." Every turned and looked back at Eliel "He was the one who told me to come to here."

"How did you know it was him? I mean how did you know he was your father?" The older dwarf woman finally spoke up in contrast to her brother and granddaughters who had yet to make any noise.

"It's a long story really but mainly because he found my rune stone. This rune stone." Eliel said as she pulled the stone from her pocket. "I was told this was given to my birth mother by my father, a man named Kili. Which I found out is not really a man but a dwarf. Then Kili told me that his mother gave it to him." The ownership of the stone could be debated so that was why Eliel kept it close to her at all times.

"That I did. He was so distraught over losing it but I have come to realize why." Dis spoke up looking at Tauriel. Eliel could not tell if both her and Tauriel were being accepted for not, the mood was awkward and tense.

"Remove your hood, dear. You will soon get quite warm in here." Dis spoke. Eliel knew what the woman was talking about, the humidity within the mountain was intense and the heat did know help the lightheadedness. Eliel removed the hood and wrapped it in her hands. "Who did this to you?"

She did not understand what Tauriel was asking about until she realized her hood exposed her welts, bruises and scars that occupied her body. Eliel had only a thin short sleeved tunic which she felt the need to cover up and step away from her mother. Tauriel had a sense to protect her daughter and to punish anyone who has hurt her? "Just some trouble I had run into in Dale."

"Do not worry about it." Eliel did not have the energy to talk anymore and just gestured with her head to answer question, after a while everyone started their own conversations. Fili directing his daughters to stay as this was a family matter then talking with Gandalf and Bilbo and Thorin in a deep conversation. As for Tauriel and Dis they both sat in silence with Eliel glancing at one another, Eliel had grown tired of standing up and sat on the ground with her back against the wall. She was offered a seat but politely turned it down as she was too weak to get back up, both Dis and Tauriel had noticed how unwell she was and both moved closer towards her to give make her feel protected from her she has been through.

Her olive skin was now a sickly shade of pale and her muscles were limp but she still managed to maintain her focus and watched as her mother and grandmother made idly chatter.

"I wondered why Kili never married and started a family after all these years. Even though you are an elf I can see myself accepting you and this young girl. For Kili's sake. I am not as close minded as my brother but I do not understand what inspired my youngest to have a relationship with elf."

"Thank you. It was a brief moment of intimacy which neither of us understand but my heart chose him and I lived in grief and heartache for 60 years, I could of died but I chose not to because there was a part of me that held onto life, that believed he was always alive."

"I know the situation all too well. I think Kili strongly believed you had died but he always kept you in mind whenever he wanted to be courted." Dis decided to be personal with the elf" Their father will always been alive to me, he lives in my boys and it does not matter what anyone else believes as long as I see it."

They were slightly bonding but it would take a long time for everyone to adjust to the new Durin additions. A knock on the door stopped everyone's conversation and all eyes were on the door waiting for the expected black hair prince to walk through.

Kili had walked in with his nephew Hain in tow, Kili had stopped dead in his tracks as he looked around and saw Tauriel standing by the girl that claimed to be his heir. Hain walking behind had not taken notice of the sudden halt and slammed right into his uncle. Kili being too focused on the elf maiden did not flinched. Hain looked around and saw the girl that had occupied the now empty cell.

"Uncle that's the prisoner, we have to tell Brand. Uncle?" Hain spoke frantically

"Shut up Hain, she is no prisoner but our cousin." Dina yelled at her brother making him the most confused individual in the room. "What have I missed?"

"Tauriel. Please tell me this is not a dream." Kili did not give his attention to anyone else in the room but only to the woman he loved.

"It is not a dream my love." In that spilt second everyone had forgotten about Eliel and had fixated on the reunion of the peculiar couple. Tauriel had walked closer and got on her knees in front of him so she was almost the same height. Kili reached out to touch her to confirm that it was not an illusion like the many he had before. "Have you ever had a dream so heartbreakingly beautiful that it was pure agony to wake up?"

"Every night for the past 60 years." Tauriel admitted and pulled him into a devoted hold. Kili pulled away "Armalime, I've missed you." And kissed her hard as if it was his last, he was not shy and ran his rugged hands through her long hair pulling her tightly against his chest. They broke apart and stared at each other like no one else was in the room smiles took over their faces. Tauriel was afraid that their brief moment was not enough for him to love her and pine for her so many years but the she was obviously wrong. He loved her and she loved him and they were finally reunited after years of anguish and denial.

Eliel had watched the tender moment between the elf and the dwarf, she was pleased that they had found their way back to each other and that she had found them. Her journey was not a complete waste of time and Sonir was right that Eliel would not forgot this. Eliel praised her mother for suggesting this incredible journey she would have missed out on so many experiences. The adventures and experiences as well as Sonir replayed through the dwelf's mind as she slipped into darkness.