Chapter XXX

14th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

The first thing Eliel had felt when she woke up was how someone had bandaged her wrists and treated her open wounds and burns. The second thing was the fire roaring in the hearth and several simple dwarven dresses laid out for her. Her head was still spinning but nothing a meal could not fix. She stumbled out of bed and she felt her ankles go weak when she put all her weight on them and walked towards the mirror. Eliel had definitely looked better, her eyes were a deep shade of purple and green as well as little cuts around her face from where the hits split her skin.

Eliel had suddenly realized where she was and what had happened. She had found her parents and not only that she found an extended family, the last thing she remembered whys Kili and Tauriel embracing and she hoped it was not a dream. Eliel went back to studying her face and body and wish her wounds would go away, if she were to speak to anyone she was sure that all they would look at were her injuries. Outside the room she could hear people talking and cutlery against ceramic and assumed it was dinner. She let out her hair and the brunette ringlets fell down her back, the hair around her face was matted with blood and natural oils and Eliel braided it to make it seem somewhat presentable. She picked up one of the dresses that were laid out, she had not put on a dress in so long and she had missed it mainly because it was not as restricting as her pants. Eliel picked up the most thin but still preserved gown there was, the kirtle was a deep blue with undersleeves that concealed her arms and covered up the neck then the surcoat was a pale yellow chiffon which flowed behind her. She looked elegant almost like a princess which was possible because she assumed the dress belonged to her now cousins. She slipped on her boots and decided she should find someone that could led her to food.

Eliel walked out of the wooden door and saw a corridor to her left and a balcony straight ahead where the sound of chatter and the smell of meats and vegetables came from. She slowly walked forward and looked down to see her family and especially her mother and father all eating and laughing. The king sat at the head while her father sat to his right and her mother right beside him. On the other side was her dwarf who had spoken to her and looked after her, also at the table was Gandalf who sat next to Tauriel and the hobbit which took his place next to the silent old Dwarf who sort of scared her, she remembered him as Thorin, uncle to her father. The princesses sat next to Bilbo and the arrogant prince who got her arrested in the first place was next to Gandalf. She was glad no one had spotted her because she just wanted to observe them and just see how they were and what kind of family they could be. The way she had been treated so far in Erebor, Eliel was glad she escaped if only she had never be stolen away in the first place.

She turned around and decided to join them if they would have her, she made her way down the stairs and reached the opening. Eliel was nervous, this would be the first proper time where she was not in danger or almost dead that she would meet her family. She was stood next to a pillar which sort of kept her out of sight that was until Fili had spotted her and whispered her presence into Kili's ear. As soon as he spotted her everyone had stopped conversation and stared at her, this was exactly what she was trying to avoid. Tauriel stood up first followed by Kili who gestured her to come towards the table, Eliel took a deep breath and held her head high, she walked towards the table.

Gandalf had moved his meal and gave his seat to the young dwelf before she could have denied it. Tauriel held out her hand and Eliel was hesitate to take it as she would have to sit next to the prince but she did anyway for the sake of her mother. Kili waited until both women had taken their seats again and an awkward silence had taken over the table until Dis spoke.

"Look lass, we are nothing to be afraid of all this is new to everyone. So grab a plate and any food you want do not hesitate. You look like you have not eaten in some time, when was the last time you had a proper meal anyway?"

Eliel thought hard and remembered it was when she last saw Ahnissi's family. "Almost a week ago." Eliel mumbled "I have some friends in Dale which I would like to go back and see actually."

"You cannot go back to Dale until your name is cleared." Kili spoke "We will do that tomorrow."

"I doubt uncle Bain will let that happen." Hain finally spoke up

"Hain, that's enough." Fili ordered.

"No father, this girl is a criminal and she trespassed and read the personal archives. Then all of a sudden she shows up and tells all of you that she is your long lost daughter, niece and cousin? I do not believe her for one second and if you all believe her I have serious doubt in this family."

"Hain, I said that is enough. Where is your loyalty?" Fili yelled and the argument was the only thing that occupied the table.

"I am just saying she should tell us her story." Eliel was silent and kept her had down during the argument that was until she got so riled up by the demand of her story. "I told you my story and I kept telling the same story when your uncles guards were splitting my skin open and burning my flesh. I will tell that same story right now and if you find one fault I swear I will leave and turn myself in and you will never see me again." No one was expecting the angry outburst from Eliel, it even stunned Thorin and everyone had solemn looks and stopped eating all together.

"My name is Eliel Nirn. I was born 60 years ago, the 18th of Ivanneth to be exact. My mother's name was Sonir and her grandmother's name was Rayya. They studied apothecary in Lake Town and did not want to make the journey to Dale after the dragon attacked. They had run into some orcs where they were saved by Legolas Greenleaf, in return Rayya said they would help Tauriel who was unconscious travelling with him because she had been banished. When I was born Rayya saw that I was not a full blooded elf and now I think she knew I was part dwarf. So she hid me in a tree with the rune stone until Tauriel moved to Rivendell and she took me and raised me and her granddaughter Sonir in Pelargir in Gondor."

"She is telling the truth. What this young girl just said has something only Legolas and I knew about, I was told that Eliel had died during childbirth and so I moved away from all the pain to Rivendell." Tauriel had vouched for Eliel as her story was as if she had been there.

"Well what happened next?" Dina had finally spoken up curious towards the young girl and how she had grown up.

"Well I had aged rather slowly and Sonir who was ten years older than me reached the age where she could be my mother raised me as her own. I had a somewhat normal childhood but I had always wondered why I did not age the same way as everyone else. When I was about 28 years old Sonir had told me that she was not my real mother and that my real mother was an elf and she had abandoned me because I reminded her too much of my father." Eliel saw Tauriel shake her head out of the corner of her eye and Kili taking her hand.

"I went on believing that my parents did not want me and I learn to live with that because why cry over something that would not cry over you. I was happy with my life and I did not think of how it could have been different. That was until Sonir started to get really sick, she ended up passing away about five months but before she died she told me the true story of who I was. She told me how I was stolen away because her grandmother believed that Tauriel would not love me, she always told me that my father had died because that was what she was told by my mother. Sonir did not want me to stay in Pelargir but to go out and find information on my birth parents and she suggested I came up to Dale and read the archives not knowing they were off limits. I decided to do it and left not long after."

Everyone was now so intently listening to her story that they wanted her to continue. Hain had given up trying to persuade people she was not who she said she was because he himself slowly believed the story. Gandalf, Thorin, Kili and Dis stopped eating and decided to smoke a pipe while focusing on the rest of her story.

Eliel continued her story and how she travelled to Minas Tirith and to Argonath then how she meet Ahnissi and joined their adventure to Dale She sadly retold the story of Daeroch and the orcs and then how Gandalf told her of Kili being still alive.

"I knocked him out of the way and made my way up the stairs until Hain grabbed me and got me throw out on the streets. I made an impulsive decision of waiting until night fall and break in hoping I wouldn't be caught. I managed to read several books before falling asleep and being arrested the next morning. They did not believe my story and tortured me for the real answer over many days, I managed to escape and then Kili told me to come here and I suppose everyone knows the rest."

"So you have been on quite the journey?" A question that surprised her not because of what was asked but by who asked it. Thorin sat there with his eyebrows raised waiting for the journey.

"Yes I have."

"Well I can think I can say I speak for everyone one at this table when I say welcome home." He bowed his head with acceptance as everyone murmured in acceptance. Eliel was shocked and thrilled at the same time. Not only was she accepted by one who she never thought would accept her but it sounded as if she had a place to live out her life.