It took a bit longer than I thought it would but I managed to update. Please enjoy.

My heart had been racing since I spotted Lord Elrond and his advisors walking along the upper floor of his home. I had spoken with him many times over the past week, as Rivendell began to prepare for the upcoming quest. I needed to be part of this journey. Frodo needed me, and they could all use another blade on their side.

Being a lady certainly did not help. I had begun to consider if I should dress as a boy and see if they took me in then, as my mother had with Thorin and his company. Lord Elrond was patient, and he never once turned me away when I approached him to ask if I may become part of the forming fellowship. He did not quiet me either when I suggested Gideon. One my own, Mother and Father would never let me go, but with Gideon there by my side, the prospect was more likely. He never said anything about me or my brother going on the quest though, which had been worrying me.

When I saw my chance, I grasped it, and did not let go. I ducked back into the room we had been given, grabbed Gideon's blade and quickly involved him a spar, just as Lord Elrond passed the courtyard. Even better, Strider – or rather, Aragorn, as I should begin to call him- was present as well. He would undoubtedly be part of the fellowship, and if he was impressed as well, his opinion would definitely influence what would happen.

Now I walked out of the courtyard, feeling an energy swimming through me. Adventure! I could feel the sense of adventure building in me again, this time with greater purpose. I felt triumphant.

Then I turned to Gideon, who had pursued me through the halls. His expression was one of anger, and it was almost surprising for he was rarely angry. I stopped my walking, and he came up, cornering me against the wall. "What have you done?" He asked, his voice a mix of seriousness and anger, with a sharp note of panic underneath. "Fali, what have you done?!"

"He'd never seen us fight before." I said. "I was sure if only he saw us fight, and saw how well we could spar then he'd consider us."

Gideon took two paces back from me, his hands delving worriedly through his hair. "You are the one who fights well!" He snapped back at me. "You are the one who would do well on adventures, who wants to have adventures!"

"Oi, he said you did great too." I reminded him.

"Why did you even mention me?" He asked. "You know I hate sword fighting, you know I've never wanted to go on a journey before in my life."

"Frodo needs us." I said, firmly. "He needs people beside him he can trust."

"He needs people who can defend him, keep him safe." He went on. "What makes you think he'll choose us anyway, out of everyone who suggested themselves? There are other Men, dwarves, elves…"

"Well, I've heard rumor he's letting Merry, Sam and Pippin go along." I answered. "Really, if he's letting the hobbits go, we're sure to be well thought of for the fellowship. We know Frodo after all, and what with the duel we just had, it's sure to speak volumes for us."

Gideon stood there, worried, and looking like he was an animal trapped in a hole. "Don't look so nervous." I said. "You did brilliantly back there, and you're sure to do brilliantly on a quest too." When his look did not fade I added encouragingly, "Just think of it Gideon….it's Lord Elrond's decision, and he won't choose you unless he has faith in you, and knows you'll do well with what a quest entails. He's very wise. If you chooses you, it's because he knows you're capable of such things."

Gideon dropped the worried look finally. His face shifted from that of concern to that of shock, though mild shock, luckily. "A quest…" He said, quite lowly in volume and I had to strain to hear it. "You and I on such a journey…how is it possible?" He went quiet, and after a short pause looked up at me. "What will Mother and Father say to this?"

I fought back a frown. "Well, they won't like the idea, exactly." I answered. I wasn't stupid enough to think that our parents would love sending us off on a dangerous adventure. No, they would be concerned, like Gideon was, and be protective of us. But if Lord Elrond chose us, they would let us go, like any parent sends their children off, be they merchants to far off lands or soldiers to battle, or brides to another kingdom. They would not enjoy it, but I knew they would let us go, so long as we had each other. "I'll tell them tonight, if that's what you're worried about…me not telling them until Lord Elrond comes around with his decision."

It was clear he was still shocked, and his worries threatening to resurface. "Come." I said, more gently. "Let's see if we can find a peaceful place in a grove. You look like you could use some rest, and I wouldn't mind some practise with the tracking Aragorn taught me."

He followed me, and sat in a lovely sunny corner of one of the groves, letting me go off to frolic and track as I pleased. I left him to his own devices, seeing as my being there or not being there did not improve his state much. When I returned to him a few hours later, he appeared at peace again, though his hair was a bit disheveled from his fingers running through it.

I didn't know if I should bring up the quest, it being a delicate topic right now. However, when I approached him, Gideon looked up at me, and asked "Which one of us is to tell Mother and Father? You or I?"

/

"But Father-" I tried, as calmly as I could, to ease him.

"Do you know what you have done?!" Father snapped at me. Mother sat in a chair nearby, seemingly unable to stand any longer. Her face was as blank as Gideon's was earlier.

"I only wanted to make you proud, everyone else had sons offering to go." I tried not to snap. My brothers or cousins I could snap at. To Father I would never dare. My words were becoming more tense despite my efforts though, my temper starting to heat up, involuntarily as it always did.

"You are not a son, you are a daughter." Father said. "My daughter."

"Do you think it not proper for me to go on a quest?" I asked.

"You know your mother and I have been nothing short of encouraging toward you and your swordmanship. We have supported your talents and wishes in that regard since you were the height of my knee." I sighed internally. Bringing up how I used to be a sweet little girl, full of spirit and smiles, was to make me feel a sense of guilt. How could I tear myself away from such loving and wonderful parents? I cleared my head, the subtle play not persuading me to do any different.

"I am grateful for that support." I said. "But if I stay in Erebor my whole life, all that training will be for naught. I cannot join the guards and soldiers. Let me go, let me use my skills."

Father groaned, heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Cunning, she has cunning like you do." He said to Mother.

"I will not go alone." I said. "Lord Elrond is considering us both, and he must know we are better together. It's what would be best for the Fellowship. Then there would be Aragorn, and others…surely he'll chose Gandalf, we'll have trustworthy and skilled companions with us."

"That is another thing." Father turned to me again. "You cannot speak for your brother on such a serious matter."

In that, I was wrong. Gideon would have never gone to Lord Elrond himself.

"I'm sorry." I nodded toward Gideon.

"What do you think of this Gideon?" Mother spoke at last.

"I leave the decision to Lord Elrond." He said, quietly. I stared at him. I had been gritting my teeth and expecting him to fight me. But he was only dismissive, surrendering the power to the wisdom of Lord Elrond. The Gideon I had known would have at least tried to get out of the path of any possible danger.

"You do?" Mother asked, surprised by his reaction as well.

"Yes." Gideon nodded. "I should have gone and suggested myself earlier, with the others."

She sighed. "Leave me and your father, we will discuss this privately, and decide what should be done."

"Yes." We both nodded, and made our exit. Mother closed the door behind us. As the two of us walked down the hall, we were silent, and did not glance at one another. In the dead silence I could make out parts of a conversation from our guest rooms.

"….dangerous journey…"

"….they are not children anymore…"

"…the odds are not with them though…"

"…they are both skilled enough…"

"….should we? We only want to support them…but is it safe to do so?"

"What if we are chosen?" Gideon asked, breaking the silence and shutting out the voices of our parents.

"It will be considered a great honor." I replied. I looked up at him and saw he appeared frightened again. "You fear an idea, the thought of the quest, but not yet the quest itself." I tried to reassure him. "It will be alright, you doubt your abilities too much."

"I could never understand how people like you could stare at something so fearsome and not be the least bit afraid of it. It's almost as though you don't see the danger in it, only the glory of it."

"The glory can be quite blinding, but I can still see the danger." I said. "I know it will be dangerous, I know I'll have to fight. But it's what I've always wanted Gideon. I've been hoping for a chance like this nearly all my life, ever since Mother first sat me in her lap and told me of her own adventures. I am prepared." I looked at him seriously. "And I need you to come with me, it's the only way Mother and Father will let me." Gideon's mouth fidgeted, as though he was trying to frown and scowl at the same time. "What you said earlier, about wishing you had gone to Lord Elrond earlier…were you lying?"

"I only want to make them proud, as you do." Gideon answered. He sighed, drawing in a great breath of evening air, and then letting it escape. When his sigh was finished he looked like he was worn thin. "I think I will retire now." He said. "Sleep well Fali."

Alone, I found myself unable to do anything but await what was to unfold. I retired, though out of nothing to do and not fatigue as Gideon did. The next morning, when the both of us woke up, Mother and Father spoke to us, and with heavy hearts said that if Lord Elrond thought we were worthy, then we should go. Mother absolutely forbade me to go along uninvited, and Father seconded her ruling. They knew Gideon would not go along if he was not asked, but I was apt to be more stubborn. Their decision, though difficult to make, was to trust in Lord Elrond's judgement.

Three days later, after trying to ignore the growing tension in me by constantly visiting with the hobbits, Lord Elrond approached us.

Both Gideon and I had been accepted.

I felt thrilled, already feeling adventure thrumming with every pulse.

Gideon nodded and thanked him. His face was passive, and showed neither fear, or delight. He remained indifferent over the quickly passing days that followed. The rest of the Fellowship was named. True to what I had heard in whispers Aragorn, all four of my lovely hobbit friends, and Gandalf were selected. The other three men were Gimli, who my parents and I were happy to know would be coming, the elf, Legolas, who I had spilled all the arrows of, and Boromir, who I recalled from the council. We were given a few more days to prepare our supplies, and I was trying my best to not appear too enthusiastic about the preparations and present myself as foolish.

Elven craftsmen judged my sword to be a good fit for me on the journey, and I was given a dagger by them, one of their crafting. It felt so light I thought the wind would tear it from my hands, and I had to practise holding it in my grasp, unused to something that bore so little weight. Weapons, provisions, and other supplies were all collected and rationed between us.

I could feel the rush to have everything ready in due time even in the kitchens. I was with the hobbits and we were all savouring one of the last hot and lovely meals we would be eating for quite a while, as elves walked between the pantries, fetching this and that. Fresh foods did not keep long enough for traveling so we would be having plenty of dried or salted meals. The only thing fresh for some time would be any meat we hunted down. Despite being half-dwarf, I was happily enjoying a salad, relishing my last few green vegetables.

"You know you don't have to carry a knife with you everywhere you go just yet, Miss Fali." Sam eyed my new dagger, which I was turning around in my hand as I ate, still practising.

"Practisin'." I replied, chewing on a piece of chicken.

"Some princess." Merry said, speaking of my less than refined table manners at that moment.

"Not as…" I swallowed, and took another bite in my mouth. "…bad as my father and uncle when…" I swallowed again. "…they ate here."

"The only knives acceptable at the dinner table are those for eating, carving and butter if you ask me." Pippin said, putting on an exaggerated air of propriety.

"One would also say it would be good manners to keep one's feet off the table." I joked back at him. Pippin smiled with mirth, and with a soft laugh retracted his great big feet from the tabletop.

"Eat, Mister Frodo." Sam said. "We'll be missing meals like this when we're traveling." Frodo had been a in a state of shock himself when he was chosen to come as part of the Fellowship. In all truth, it had been unspoken but agreed since the beginning that Frodo would be coming. He had carried the Ring this far, and he was the only one who seemed capable of carrying it the rest of the way. Nevertheless, after the small quest we had arriving here in Rivendell, Frodo had his concerns for the journey ahead. "C'mon Mister Frodo, we leave tomorrow." Sam prompted him.

Frodo smiled for his friend. "You're right." He nodded, and began to finish his plate of food.

"Enjoy it Frodo." I said, giving him a smile to encourage him. Through the network of elves in the kitchen, I spotted Gideon, returning from outdoors, a book in his hands as normal. "Excuse me for a moment." I said, and got up from my seat. "Don't start the pie without me." I added, as Merry began to eye the pastry over. The hobbit sighed, annoyed.

"Gideon." I called to my brother. "Gideon!" He turned around at the sound of my voice. "We're all having a decent lunch before everything begins tomorrow." I said, cheerfully. "We won't mind finding something for you, and Merry and Pippin found a pie…well they said they found it, that could easily mean they simply lifted it from some windowsill as it was cooling."

"I ate earlier." He replied shortly.

"Oh." I said. "Well, if you still fancy some pie…"

"I'm sure I'll have my fill to eat this evening." Gideon said. "It will be welcoming, a good meal and a pleasant night's sleep before it all begins."

"Yes." I agreed, as he made to leave. "Gideon?" I asked again, catching his attention once more. "Forgive me for saying so but I thought…I thought you be more…more…" I struggled for the right words.

"More frightened?" Gideon finished my thoughts for me. I nodded. "You and everyone else too, I suppose." He muttered. "Quests have never been something that anyone saw in my future. Fighting alone is something that was unseen."

"You are not frightened then?" I asked.

Gideon shook his head a little sadly. "I've never feared anything more in my life." He frowned. "I'm frightened out of my mind, and I feel like I'm trapped, but the only thing I can do is go on and act as though nothing bad is happening."

"Gideon…" I tried to calm him.

"I am stuck between two fates." He said. "Either I go off with you and the rest if the men and make an idiot of myself trying to be as brave as they are, and die-"

"Don't say that." I stopped him. I knew it was a possibility but it did no good to speak of it like this.

"-and I die." Gideon said. "Some way or another I die out there, run through by a sword or of some festering infection, or I...I fall off a cliff, who really knows how it will all end?"

"Stop it!" I snapped at him. "You could have always refused Lord Elrond and gone home, couldn't have you?! You could have returned home, and that's all you've wanted since we stepped out of the Shire."

"That is the other fate I could have faced." Gideon said, his tone growing a bit harsh. "I could have refused him, or not gone to him at all…which was what I was doing in the first place." His face was tight. "I could have been a coward, just as I've always been, and stood there, afraid, while Father watched everyone else's sons step forward."

"Death or dishonor…" I murmured to myself, seeing his plight. I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around him tightly…and then smacking him in the back of the head.

"Oi!" He touched the place I had hit.

"Have you forgotten you have me?" I said, trying not to sound angry. "What am I, thin air to you?!" I huffed. "You're not dying while I'm around, and you'll not be branded any sort of coward either. I'll give a decent scar to anyone who says you're incapable of courage and of this quest. I've seen you spar, and I know somewhere in there is a great swordsman, and if I have to push you into the ground a dozen more times and slap you upside the head again and again to make you see it too, then I'll do it without flinching!"

"Clearly…" Gideon muttered.

"We can do this." I concluded. "Both of us, together. Right?" Gideon looked doubtful for a second still, and I realised that all along he had a small streak of stubbornness in him too, derived from a hundred generations of dwarves. "Right?" I repeated, more seriously, and raising my hand a degree, making as if to deliver another love-tap to his skull.

"Yes." He nodded, perhaps out of concern from my raised hand, but it was said soundly all the same.

"Good." I nodded, grabbing his elbow. "Now come along. We're all going to have pie one last time. I hardly think we'll be seeing it for the next few months."