I must admit, I procrastinated a little, ok maybe a lot ; ) But I have made my decision. You have no idea how many times I have changed my mind!

I am thrilled with the way people have been describing Serafina! I had every intention to make her stubborn, proud, independent, and hell to get to know! Ha ha. Reminds me of someone I know... Keep reading and reviewing, pretty please.

Ah, burden off my chest. No more horrible decision about men! Well not here anyway…I will try to make this as real as possible even though the relationship most likely wouldn't happen…I'm going with the one Serafina would want.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eight

'Elves' Serafina thought, there were elves everywhere. No matter which way she turned there were always more, her recent triumph with Lord Elrond paled with the sight of all these elves. She noted with satisfaction that they did not all look the same, however this happy revelation was then dampened by the perfection they all seemed to possess.

Turning another corner she was greeted by a blessed sight—horses. Serafina had stumbled across the sables and just beyond the stables she saw a road that lead away from the Elvin city and into the mountains.

Serafina decided that today must be one of the better days she had had in a while. She had aggravated an elf-lord, was on her way to solving two very interesting riddles and had found the way out of this temporary prison. She knew that escape would have to wait a few days at least, there was far too much to gain from being here.

Sighing in resignation, she turned back towards the city. She started limping back up to the city (her thigh was considerably sore from her exploration) and settled for lunch. She had probably exerted herself enough today, and there was no way she could force anything out of Lord Elrond—at least not today, tomorrow perhaps she would try again, and she would have a plan.

…………………………

The elves were inescapable. Nothing she tried could loosen their grasp on her. Though she had managed, and this pleased Serafina greatly, to infuriate many, many elves (Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir being her favourite subjects).

As for the information she had tried to squeeze out of the elf-lord, Serafina was none the wiser. Lord Elrond, it seemed, was a very busy elf, who had "little time to accommodate for the curiosity of an ungrateful, stubborn girl."

Three days had passed and she had made none of the ground she had planned. In the back of her mind she knew that she was completely at the mercy of these elves, yet she was not resigned to that fact.

All she seemed to do all day was walk around the grounds, silently observing. She watched the twins mainly when she could no longer follow the all-important Lord Elrond. She needed to even the score, though she was not intending on rushing into this revenge—she wanted to do it properly, to make them remember that not even elves can mess with her and get away with it. However she had not been able to find the identical elves since midday yesterday. Perhaps their disappearance was in some way connected to Lord Elrond's agitation. Indeed, Serafina had noticed that over the past two days he had been rushing around Imladris with so much importance and urgency that the thief was almost in awe.

Serafina sighed; she was so small in this place, so unimportant. There was nothing for her to do now that the elf-lord and his sons were out of her reach. The remaining elves were not even worth a thought, for no other reason apart from the fact that they dismissed Serafina as a "lesser-being"; a human, who has no place among the elves. Although, now that she was thinking about it, she may have influenced their hospitable demeanour when she insulted their lord and his sons at the evening meal. Now she thought about it, she probably should have learnt her lesson the first time she crossed Lord Elrond, and she almost regretted the incident the night before last when she announced to the elf-lord that he, his sons and his kind were lying, manipulative, scum that Middle Earth could do without. She had meant every word, and though she had manipulated him she justified it by telling herself she was not perfect, was never meant to be and never aimed to be and elves supposedly were. He had lead her to thinking that he would show her the answers she was seeking in exchange for her name, true she had lied, but she had reason too, from what she knew he had no reason to lie. Serafina did not feel hard done by, merely annoyed and more alone than she had felt since Gondor.

Her attention was brought back to the present when she heard voices that were clearly not elves. A wave of excitement rushed through her, then recognition, then unease. She did not know where to go, should she hide? Or stay put? The hobbits that rounded the corner were anxious and Strider was as masked as he was that nite in Bree. But something else was wrong. Suddenly she realised; there were only three, three hobbits. Serafina had met four, where was the fourth? Where was Frodo?

Plucking up her confidence, she strode over and covered her concern with a cheery façade.

"I see our paths meet again Strider." She began, then turned to the hobbits, "Good day my friends. I trust you fare well?"

The hobbits merely nodded in response, this left her feeling even more unsettled. The thief turned to Strider and gave him a questioning look, he ignored her and knelt to speak with the hobbits, Serafina tried not to be too obvious in eavesdropping.

"…and tell him I have arrived and ask about Frodo's progress. I will follow you in after I have dealt with some issues."

The hobbits nodded meekly and filed off in the direction of the wide open doors. Strider turned to Serafina.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.

Serafina almost blinked in shock, she did not think that they had parted on such bad terms, at least she didn't think she did anything wrong. Still she was not about to lie down and take a lecture from a man she hardly knew for no apparent reason.

"I could ask you the same question." She replied with an icy tone, she had mastered this tone, and he would not win this fight, not if shehad any say init.

Their eyes met in a bitter stare, behind her eyes though Serafina was trying to make sense of the situation.

"I had always planned to come here." He told her.

"And I did not plan on arriving in this destination, though it happened. I do not see why it concerns you were I travel, nor why."

"This is no place for someone like you."

"You speak as if you know the type of person I am. I assure you, you do not. Though I give you some credit, I am not here by choice. This is were the road lead, therefore were I ended up. I do not stay because I like it. I stay because I believe that there is ground to be made here, I will leave when I have what I want." Serafina gave the slightest smile at that, fully intending him to believe she wanted to rob the elves dry, 'Let him think I'm dim-witted and greedy, let him think he is above me. All the better for me' she thought with a smile. What she said wasn't a lie, though it wasn't the whole truth either, she liked it this way, it left her in control.

"And what is it you want girl?" he began looking her over shrewdly, "I know this place far better than you, any material riches you seek are beyond your reach, though if you look for knowledge all you need to do is ask."

Serafina could have responded to this statement in many ways, and took her time in deciding her reply, she wanted so badly to inform him that she was much better at her profession than he made out, though she didn't think that response would get her anywhere.

"The elf-lord knows what I seek, and he will not give it freely."

"I ask you again girl, what is it you seek? I have many matters to attend to, and I believe things will happen quicker without your presence."

Serafina blinked. Then she berated herself mentally. She should not be surprised by such comments. "Then please go on your way, my lord," she said mockinglyas she bowed to him with a flourish, "I shall endeavour to keep away from your feet so you may not trip over me." She said this with her token thief grin, which screamed mischief and wickedness. The thief then strode away confidently. She had won—she loved winning. She had the upper hand. Perhaps she should go and try to squeeze more information from Lord Elrond, surely she must get something from him this time considering one part of her riddle was standing alone in his garden looking decidedly aggravated.

Strider sighed and watched her go. She had left with the upper hand. He ran a hand through his hair, there were far more important things than her right now. He pushed her from his mind and turned his thoughts to Frodo. He had arrived with Arwen, his Arwen. He prayed that they would both be alive and well.

His face contourted as he realised that the fate of the world was about tobe decided, he didn't have time for the girl who had just insulted him, he harly had time for the one he loved; Arwen. This was going to be an interesting couple of weeks.