Ok…so I'm gonna try and write this now… I'm gonna try and make it good. No guarantees. Sigh…I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas… and I hope you had a great new year…I did… ha ha

Chapter 10

"I am a thief." She said to the elf lord. "My name is Serafina."

"Very well. I see you and Boromir of Gondor are acquainted."

"Yes, we have met."

"I see. Tell me Serafina, why are you here?"

"Because your sons shot me."

"From whom are you running?"

"I was running from another thief, someone I have known a long while. He and his thugs."

"And why are you still here, there is nothing for you here."

"I…I um. Well I thought…" Serafina was thoroughly confused; she had never been this open with anyone. She never gave answers unless she had to and here she was answering his every question. Serafina caught herself, what was she doing? She had every right to be here, and he had ordered her to stay to boot. Besides, there were things here for her, not to mention her dignity that she must have left in the dining room hall. Plucking up her wits she stood a little straighter; it would take more than a pompous man and a highly-strung elf to get the better of her. "As a matter of fact my lord, you are wrong. There are things for me here. The very things I asked from you on my arrival. The very things you keep from me. When I have the answers to my trivial riddles I will leave you and yours alone."

The Elvin lord considered what she had said. "Why did you not give me your proper name?"

Serafina smirked, "It seemed to be the thing to do at the time. Excuse me my lord, but I haven't asked for anything other than answers, I haven't tried to escape and now you even have my name. Please, will you tell me what I seek or at least will you tell me why you won't tell me or am I wasting my time? For I fear that it is rather time for me to move on from your house."

"I will tell you nothing, for it is not your business to know."

Serafina was getting a little annoyed, she had been honest with this elf, and it had gotten her nowhere. She decided to stick with what she knew. She took a wild stab in the dark, fishing only for a reaction.

"I know more than you would expect, and I am starting to think that my two riddles are connected in some way. Actually, I believe they are connected to the secret council, which is not so secret. Oh, and of course the ring of power."

Serafina was overwhelmed with excitement and relief as she watched his fair face flit from utter confusion to devastation to livid anger. It was like a game where little children guess what emotion being portrayed.

"Tell me what you know." he demanded.

Serafina was not one to respect authority. In fact Serafina was not one for respect. She liked it payed to her yet giving it out was not one of her strong points. Though the way the elf lord had made this demand made her think twice. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to cross this lord. The thief was undecided on if she needed this elf's trust. Generally she wouldn't worry about this; generally she could manage by herself. Yet his reaction to her words had told her more than enough.

She decided it was time to think on her feat. Time to do some fast-talking and quicker thinking.

She recounted her adventures in The Inn of the Prancing Pony, beginning with when she met the hobbits and Strider. She moved on to describe the Nazgul's in Bree and then her flight to Rivendell. Then she told of the conversation in the hall at dinner. "It's my guess," she said after she had finished her tale, "that the wraiths are out looking for the ring of power. I would like to believe it hasn't been found, but why were they following me to Rivendell, or should I say, why were they following the hobbits and Strider to Imladris if it remains hidden."

To Serafina's surprise Elrond laughed. "My girl," he said, pausing to recover from his fit of hysterics, "My dear girl, you have a very active mind on you. Ha! What an imagination! Answer me this; why would four halflings and a ranger be bearing the ring of power?" He paused and his face became serious again, "No, Serafina, you keep you theories and your stories to yourself. Use that imagination of yours to amuse yourself on a lonely night, my heart tells me there will be many lonely nights for you to come."

Serafina was crestfallen; she had been on a roll. It all fitted, all of it. No matter how unfortunate the situation, it fitted. There was no other explanation, yet elves did not lie. "Oh," she replied, quite miffed. "Oh, um well then I guess I shall be off then my lord."

"That is probably best." He said with a caring and considerate tone. "It would be well if you took your leave of Imladris in the morning as well, I think you have out stayed your welcome here."

"I will be gone tomorrow. Thankyou for the roof over my head, and the food; you have been kind and I didn't deserve it, thankyou." With that she turned and left.

…………………………………

Elrond watched her go and breathed a sigh of relief. That had been close. The thief was smart he had to admit. Yet she was beaten too easily at her own game. He took another deep breath and turned to join the party. The secret of the ring had been kept safe, and he hadn't even lied to keep it secret and safe.