watergoddesskasey: Thank you.

AwkwardlyQuietThespian: You'll find out in this chapter, so keep reading.

booksfoodmusic-minion: Ok, ok! Here's the update. Calm down and read.

Pink bunny: Thanks.

SlytherinBtch: I hate when I start reading a fanfiction with a few chapters and it stops at a good part. But, hey, we writers have to end the chapter somewhere. If we didn't, you would just have one insanely long chapter that you would probably get tired of.

Disclaimer: I do not own "The Hobbit."

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Chapter 16: Missing

Thranduil noticed when Sarah didn't show up for breakfast, but he didn't worry about it. He assumed she was sleeping in. When Sarah didn't show up for weapons practice or lunch, he began to wonder. When Sarah didn't show up for her study sessions, he couldn't take it anymore.

"Has anyone seen Sarah at all today?" he asked everyone he met.

When they all told him that they hadn't, he started to search for her. He checked her room, but she wasn't there and there seemed to be some things missing. He checked the stables, but she wasn't there either and her horse was gone. He started to wonder if perhaps she had gone for a ride, but then wondered why she would go off without telling anyone. And that didn't explain the missing items from her room or how long she had been gone. Plus, Edana was still here. If Sarah was going somewhere, surely Edana would have gone with her.

Right?

Thranduil caught Edana as she was walking to the storehouses for more flour and sugar.

"Have you seen Sarah at all today?" he asked her.

"Not since I got up this morning to go to work," Edana replied.

It was true. Edana had gone back to bed after helping Sarah the night before, though she had not slept a wink. Unfortunately, Thranduil could tell that she was not telling him the whole truth.

"When was the last time you saw her?" he asked.

"Last night."

"When during the night and where?"

"Why are you asking me all these questions?"

Edana was starting to get irritated, and Thranduil could tell. Of course, based on her attitude towards him in the past, he thought her irritation was towards his interrogation.

"She did not show up for meals, training, or studying," he began, "and no one has seen her all day. There are things missing from her room and her horse is not in its stall. I am beginning to worry."

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to leave her here while the rest of us went back to Mirkwood."

Whatever Thranduil had planned to say when he opened his mouth was cut off by an angry shout.

"You were planning to do WHAT!?"

Legolas walked into the hallway, followed by Tauriel, Elrond, and his children. Legolas stared at his father with a look of anger and pure hatred.

"How could you even think of leaving her here!?" he demanded to know.

"I thought it was for the best," Thranduil said in an attempt to justify himself.

"For the best!?" Legolas continued to shout. "How do you know what is best for her? You barely know her."

"I am her father."

"And I am her brother! I have spent more time with her than you have! When did you even decide to leave her here?"

"He sent me a note before you left Mirkwood," Elrond said, joining the conversation, "and asked that I make preparations for Sarah's stay here to become permanent."

"You knew about this?" his three children asked as they turned to him.

"I tried to convince him to change his mind," he told them, "but he was entirely set in his decision."

"That decision should have been Sarah's to make," Tauriel said, speaking up. "Though, after already being torn from everything she knew and dropped into a strange world, I highly doubt she would agree to live in an entirely new place with no familiar faces. Or were you planning to leave Edana behind as well?"

"Edana has chosen her position in my kingdom," Thranduil said. "She answers to me now."

Everyone, even Elrond and his children, who hadn't as of yet witnessed one of Thranduil and Edana's verbal spats, backed up a few steps. Edana was turning red with fury.

"EXCUSE ME!?" she screamed. "Listen, Sir Sassy-pants, I am not one of your subjects! You do not own me! You do not control me! The only reason I didn't walk out of your kingdom that first day was because of Sarah, and, now that you've practically kicked her out, there is nothing stopping me from kicking you pathetic elven butt all the way to Mordor!"

As Edana rolled up her sleeves and started towards Thranduil, some of the elves who had gathered around, drawn there by the noise of the argument, went to hold her back. They let go of her, however, when they felt that she was as hot as the heart of a volcano. Before anyone else could try to stop her without burning themselves, a few dozen gallons of ice water rained down on Edana's head, drenching her and cooling her off. Gandalf walked out of the crowd of elves.

"That is enough," he said in a voice that was way too calm. "Somebody take Edana and get her a change of clothes and a cup of calming tea. Thranduil, Elrond, if you and your children would come with me, we may try to find our missing princess. You may join us as well, Tauriel. Everyone else go back to your tasks. The excitement is over."

All the elves went their separate ways. One of the cooks, who had been sent to find out what was taking Edana so long, took hold of the stunned girl's shoulders and led her away. The others followed Gandalf into Elrond's study.

"One of my maps is missing," Elrond pointed out. He had noticed that morning that it was gone, but he hadn't wanted to say anything until he had an idea of who might have taken it. Now, he was sure who the culprit was. "Sarah must have taken it to help her find her way."

"What places were on this map?" Gandalf asked.

"It stretched from Rivendell to the Shire and showed all of the towns in between."

"I remember Sarah and Edana talking about the Shire," Legolas said. "They were wondering to themselves when they might have a chance to go and visit."

"You think she might have gone there?" Tauriel asked.

"It makes sense," Elladan said. "Anyone looking for her would most likely check the places she has already been to."

"The only other place she has been to is Mirkwood," Elrohir added, "and I am pretty sure she would not go there."

"I say we still search every town that was on the map," Elrond said, "and send some search parties back towards Mirkwood, in case she did go that direction. If she is indeed heading towards the Shire, we will find her eventually."

"It is getting late," Gandalf said, "There is no point in sending out search parties now. We will start off in the morning."

"We should start searching immediately," Thranduil said. "Every second we wait is another second that. . ."

"Quiet!" Gandalf shouted at the king. "You're the reason we're even in this mess to begin with. You do not get an opinion in this matter."

At that moment, Lindir walked into the room and caught the attention of everyone there.

"My apologies for the interruption," he said. "A pack of orcs has been spotted close to our borders. They appear to be headed in the direction of the Shire."

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Cliffhanger! What's gonna happen? Review and find out.