The first thing she registered was pain. Her leg seemed as if it was on fire. There was also an annoying puling sensation on her side. Samara tried to move but found this impossible. Slowly she opened her eyes. A bright light made her squeeze them shut again.

"You're awake!"

The sudden loud voice made her jerk up a little.

"Aaaah…" She hissed as she pressed a hand against the pain radiating from her side.

"I'm sorry, so sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"It's alright Bilbo." Samara said after recognising the nervous voice.

The hobbit smiled as he stood up from a chair next to the bed where Samara was in.

"What happened?" She asked when she saw one of her legs wrapped in bandages.

"We were being chased by orcs." Bilbo said. "You jumped off our horse and lured them away from the company."

Images flashed in front of her eyes. The orcs chasing her through the field, the screams, the feeling of the orcs hands on her. A shiver ran through her spine.

"I should get Lord Elrond." Bilbo said. "He told me to get him when you woke up."

"No need master Baggins."

Samara looked up to see a tall elf with dark hair walk into the room. He smiled kindly to her. Gandalf followed him.

"Good to see that you are concious and able to keep conversation." He said. "My name is Elrond, lord of Imladris."

"That my dear was a very dangerous thing to do." Gandalf said. "It nearly cost you your life, if were not for lord Elrond and his army to save you."

Samara nodded. "Thank you for your help lord Elrond."

"No thanks needed." The elf said. "Now I would like to inspect your injuries, so if you would give us some privacy."

He looked at Gandalf and Bilbo, who both left the room immediately.

"So…how are you feeling?" Elrond asked as he sat on the end of the bed.

Samara took some time to think.

"I guess tired would be an understatement."

Elrond smiled and unwrapped her leg.

"Your injuries were quite serious, it took me some trouble to fix your leg."

Samara didn't dare to look and closed her eyes. Elronds fingers gently pressed on several spots. It didn't hurt, on the contrary, every spot he touched seemed to feel a bit better.

"All seems to be in order, you won't be needing these anymore." Elrond said as he threw the bandages away.

"How long have I been unconcious?" Samara asked.

"A week and three days." Elrond said. "The hobbit has barely left your side."

"I remember you."

Elrond raised his eyebrows.

"Yes I talked to you in the cave right before you passed out."

"No that's not it." Samara said confused. "I can't remember."

Elrond gave her a kind nod. "There is something else we need to discuss."

There was a hesitant tone.

"I am a member of the White Council, does that mean anything to you?"

Samara shook her head slowly.

"We are protectors of Middle Earth." Elrond said. "We are also supposed to aid the current Avatar."

An ice cold feeling filled Samara's spine. A million thoughts run through her mind. He found her in the cave, surely he must have noticed all the rocks that were bend up from the ground…She also couldn't remember what she had said to him before she passed out.

Lord Elrond looked away from her, outside the window next to the bed.

"I believe…" He said slowly and kind. "…that it is time for the Avatar to come out in the open." "It is wrong to blame the future Avatar for the things a past Avatar has done don't you think?"

Samara did not respond and instead kept looking at the elf.

"Do you see those trees over there?" He suddenly asked.

Now Samara looked out the window as well, still watching Elrond from the corners of her eyes.

"Yes."

"There is a secret space there, only accesable for myself and the person destined to become the next Avatar."

Elrond stood up. "So should that person want to know more about their abilities, that's where I'll be."

"Only for you?" Samara asked when the elf was almost at the door.

"Only me." Elrond answered calm as he walked out the door.

His robes had just disappeared around the corner when Bilbo came back in.

"And?" He asked. "Are you all healed?"

Samara laughed. "Yes it appears so."

"Good." The hobbit stated. "You really gave me a minor heart attack."

His face turned more serious than it already was.

"Lord Elrond came to me, after he took care of you."

Samara nodded.

"He started to ask questions…" Bilbo said nervously. "About you."

"He knows that I am the Avatar." Samara said as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, which went better than she had expected.

Bilbo knocked the chair over that he was about to sit on.

"He what…I…I most certainly did not tell him that." Bilbo said offended.

It was truly adorable how much of a fuss Bilbo made to make sure Samara knew he had kept her secret. She decided to relieve him from the stress and told him everything Lord Elrond had told her.

"Wauw well that's…that's a lot." He concluded. "Are you going?"

"I don't know." Samara said. "What if it's a trap?" "What if this White Council wants to kill me?"

"He would not have saved your life first." Bilbo said.

"That's true…"

"Ah lass good to see you alive and kicking again."

Balin walked inside the room followed by Oin.

"Good to see you too." Samara said polite.

"Let me have a good look at you." Oin said. "The elves of Rivendell are the best when it comes to healing but I'll be damned if I don't give you the all clear to travel again myself."

"Even with an impatient dwarf prince…"Balin muttered. "Oh before I forget, Bilbo, Thorin asked me to tell you to pack your stuff, he wants to leave after lunch."

"After lunch?" Bilbo asked. "But she just woke up!"

"I'm surprised he hasn't pulled her out of bed the second her eyes opened." Balin said in a disapproving tone. "I am sorry but we have already lost precious time."

Oin declared Samara fully healed and the two dwarves left the room.

"I don't know what the right choice will be." Bilbo said. "But I think it all comes down to this: do you want to keep living like this, hiding in the shadows or will you take the chance and discover what it all means to be the Avatar." "I believe we can trust Lord Elrond."

And with that the hobbit also left the room. Samara stared out of the window. The thought that Elrond was waiting there for her to show up gave her a pleasant feeling. Somehow the elf had intrigued her.