Chapter Sixteen

The Messengers

I must have nodded of myself. I woke up, realising that Elaina was still fast asleep. I hoped she was alright, as I saw her frown in her sleep. I placed my hand over hers, willing her to sleep in peace. I find myself gently stroking her fingers, which has calmed me down.

Being in Rivendell has made my blood boil over. I should have known Gandalf would have pull a stunt like this but watching Elaina, relaxed me. So for now, my anger for Gandalf will be put to side for a while.

I heard Elaina make a noise and I could see she was having some kind of nightmare. Without really thinking about it, I got up and layed next to her, only, I did not get in the covers with her. I gently wrap my arm around her waist, making sure I did not hurt her ribs and watch as she slowly returned to a peaceful slumber. I snuggled next to her and went back to sleep.

~~Elaina's POV~~

I am walking around in a forest and see there is a festival in full swing. I can see that people around me are having a great time. I continue walking among the crowd of bypassers, hearing and seeing laughter and banter.

It was here where I noticed a person, dressed all in white, which I thought was weird as everyone else were wearing green and silver clothing. I decide to follow this person, who I noticed is walking away from the festival. This person walked down a flight of stairs as I continue following.

The person then walks down a long lane which is deserted. I nearly lost him/her as I nearly walked in the wrong direction and if it wasn't for the gust of wind, making me stop where I was going, I would have missed the white robe turn right. Cursing under my breath, I quickened my pace and run in the direction where this person was headed and I freeze when I get there.

I suddenly feel very afraid, as I watch the white robed person surrounded by those dark riders from before. I try and reach out to this person but, I find I can not move. All these dark riders swarm around this person and at last, I catch the person's gaze, it was a woman and she looked resigned to her fate.

I feel that I was been drawn someplace else and suddenly the scene changes and I am now back on a cloud and I realise I am back in Cloud City!

'Great!' I thought bitterly to myself.

"Hello Elaina."

I spin around and saw Zeus standing opposite me.

"What's going on?" I ask him "Why am I here?"

"You saw what happened to Sierra, did you not?" he asked me watching me.

"Who?" I asked "That lady in the white robe?"

"Yes!"

"I saw something, though I'm not to sure on what that was!" I confess to him.

"What you saw, was how it all started!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked Zeus, clearly confused.

"Long before you were born, Sierra used to practice her magic every night around a circle of stones to protect her from any negative power and normally she was very careful."

I listen intently at what Zeus was saying. I wanted to know what those dark riders were. That lone rider on the field before, was pure evil.

"This night in particar started out well," carried on Zeus "only she invited her friend this night, showing her, her power. Her friend accidentally knocked one stone out of a circle without either Sierra or herself knowing. When Sierra used her power to summon a butterfly, something else came out instead!"

"What came out?" I asked hesitantly.

"It was the start of what you saw a little while ago," replied Zeus "The Messengers, as they are called were waiting for this day, they had waited eons to get what they thought was theirs."

I sit on a cloud quite surprised it stayed where it was, as I listen on.

"Because of one innocent accident, The Messengers grabbed the girl, thinking she was the one who summoned them and killed her on the spot. Sierra having seen what just happened, ran away.

Because The Messengers had just been revived, they did not understand why no power came to them after sacrificing the wrong girl. When they realised there mistake, they went after Sierra."

I was stunned, just who were these Messengers? As if reading my mind Zeus went on to say,

"The Messengers are what you saw on the road,Bruinen. They are now dressed in complete black and only follow orders from an unknown source."

"Is that what I saw before coming here, seeing Sierra die at the hands of these Messengers?" I asked quietly, knowing full well what the answer was going to be.

"Elaina, history has been repeating itself for 2000 years, thanks to one accident."

"2000 years?" I splutter in shock.

"Yes, The Messengers have been around a long time, searching for the 'light'. I suggest you talk to Lord Elrond, Elaina, he will tell you more about the 'light' as it is not my place to say at present! I also suggest you inform that stubbon dwarf of yours as well."

"What!" I shouted to him.

"We'll meet again." laughed Zeus.

o0o

~~Thorin's POV~~

I woke up and stretched, accidently knocking Elaina's arm. I turn and noticed her arm was draped around my middle which made my heart increase in volume. She moved slightly and her head was now resting on my right shoulder. To my delight, I realised this felt right. I gently kiss her hair thinking that I would protect her with my life.

The knock on the door broke my thoughts and I gently moved Elaina's arm of my waist and got up and sat back on the chair.

"How is she?" asked Balin, walking in without permission.

"Elaina is still asleep."

"And have you slept Thorin?" asked my old friend.

"On and of." I admitted to him, noticing the sly smile on Balin's face.

"Love suits you Thorin." grinned Balin.

"Balin." I warned him.

"What," chuckled Balin, receiving a glare from me "I am only stating the obvious...I'll expect you are both hungry, I'll come back with food for the pair of you."

Before I could say anything, Balin went out the door.

"Who was that?" I heard Elaina say, causing me to turn around and look at her again.

"Balin," I replied softly, relieved to see she was awake now. "How are you feeling, Elaina?"

"I'm not sure," she replied "Just had a strange conversation with that man, Zeus!"

I frown not understanding.

"What do you mean?"

"I believe I was in some sort of in-between place again, betweeen dreamworld and reality!"

"Where you were before?" I asked her.

She caught my gaze and looked defeated until she started looking around the room.

"Where are we?"

I knew she was changing the subject and for a while I allowed it.

"After we were chased by Wargs and that dark rider," I noticed Elaina frown then "Gandalf led us towards a mountain base. We went inside and eventually we found an elves home, Rivendell to be exact." I scorned at being here.

"Rivendell?" I nod "I take it you don't want to be here!"

"I don't get on with elves Elaina." I reply to her.

"Why?"

I frown and look away. True Lord Elrond was not the one who refused to help me, that was Thranduil. My hatred was with him really but because of him, I was weary of other elves now.

I look back at Elaina and decide to tell her. I explained about how a red dragon named Smaug stole our home for himself as we had vast amount of gold and jewels. Dragons loved gold and jewels and that is why Smaug attacked us. I then explained that the King Thranduil refused to help me and the others out when we were forced out of our home. Instead that elf turned his back on us and that was the start of my hatred for all elves.

By the time I told her my tale, she had entwined her fingers with mine and I watch surprised, as I find myself stroking her fingers but say,

"I don't need your pity Elaina."

"Good," she smirked "You mustn't judge one elf for another."

"Elaina."

"As I pointed out earlier, everyone is different!"

"I do not like elves," I exclaimed to Elaina. Why were were talking about elves? "What did Zeus say to you?"

Again I watch Elaina's face and heard her sigh.

"Elaina!"

She looks up, and our eyes lock, she looked so sad and fragile, not the lady I first saw using her powers on those trolls and that dark rider.

Elaina than explains what her father Zeus told her, about a lady named Sierra that had died by the hands these dark riders.

"Their called The Messengers and are out there seeking for a 'light'," whispered Elaina "I saw Sierra's past Thorin, and as soon as she was caught, she just gave up."

"What is this 'light'?" I asked her, gently.

"That I do not know," she sighed "Zeus informed me I should ask a Lord something or other."

"A Lord, what Lord?"

"He did tell me, but the name's gone, which is frustrating."

I edge closer to her.

"I'm sure the name will come back to you." I reply, softly to her.

I find myself looking at her brown eyes and her full lips. I hesitated before I find myself leaning towards her. We watch each other and our lips are mere millimeters from each other, before I gently kissed her.

o0o

~~Hetti's POV~~

While most of the others were making a noise at the table, I was playing with my salad with my fork, barely noticing what was going on around me. My thoughts kept going back to the black shadow. I knew it was the same one I saw when I was little. Just what was happening here? I thought we were safe here?

As these thoughts swirl in my mind, a piece of tomato was thrown at my face. That was the last straw for me, taking the tomato of my cheek, I got up and walked away from these rowdy dwarves. I wasn't in the mood for their antics today, not while Elaina was recovering from her strange power. I wished Bilbo was here with me, but he went of somewhere with Gandalf. As I slowly walk down a pathway, I realise that I have never left so alone in my life.

I find myself near a waterfall and I take in the beauty of this enchanting place, but my thoughts go back to those animals with those things on top and that black shadow. I was relieved in a way, seeing that shadow again, made me well aware that I had not dreamt that evil thing up. It just scared me to see it after all these years. Was it even the same one, or was it another, that had taken the former ones place?

~~Kili's POV~~

"Hetti!"

She turns her head and saw me head towards her. Hetti then returns her attention back on the waterfall, not really in the mood for chit chat.

"Hetti, I'm sorry about throwing tomatoes at you, I was not aiming for you I was ai-," I stop talking when I am besides her, she was crying "Hetti, what's wrong?"

No answer.

"I am sorry about the toma-,"

"It's not the bloddy tomato Kili!"

I stepped closer to her, leaning over the railing.

"What has upset you?" I ask her, softly.

At first I thought she would not say anything and I never broached the subject. I wanted her to tell me in her own time.

"This place isn't that bad you know," I remark to her "but don't mention what I admitted to you, to Uncle. I don't think he will be amused."

I heard Hetti's laugh and I look at her. My feelings for her were growing stronger by the day but I knew she prefered Dwalin. Swallowing hard I say,

"Shall I get Dwalin?"

Hetti looks at me with a look of shock on her face.

"Why?"

"I- I know you have spend alot of time with him."

"His a good friend and a good listener." whispered Hetti, returning her attention to the waterfall again.

"Believe it or not," I pause, thinking on how I could explain myself "I am a good listener to and if you ever want to talk, I'll be there for you."

I caught Hetti's startled look as she gazed at me.

"Thank you, that means the world to me." smiled Hetti, who then surprised me, by leaning near me and kiss my cheek.

I knew I had gone red as she gently laughed. Well at least she was not crying now, that was a comfort in itself.

o0o

~~Elaina's POV~~

I gently play with Thorin's long locks as we continue assaulting each others lips.

"You mean everything to me," whispered Thorin, breaking the kiss "and I love you."

"I love you too." I whispered back, against his lips.

"Elaina." Thorin whispered and he was about to kiss me again when the door flew open making him quickly move away from me.

"Sorry for the delay," I heard Bilbo say, "Balin kept getting lost, so Loki and I took over. How are you feeling my dear?"

Despite myself I laugh at Bilbo's observant nature.

"I'm fine Bilbo."

"Good, good, you had me worried."

Bilbo placed a tray of food on the bedside table while Loki was leaning against the door taking everything in.

"You look much better though Elaina," carried on Bilbo, "You have rosy cheeks, we brought you and Thorin food, seeing as you both missed out on dinner. It's not much, just salad and," he looks down "more salad, no meat which is a little odd, as I really love meat."

"Bilbo are you alright?" I ask him, catching Thorin's gaze who shrugged his shoulders "You are acting strange."

"I'm fine Elaina, just didn't sleep well last night, is all."

"That and drinking fourteen cups of coffee this morning," smirked Loki "His a little hyper now!"

"Oh dear," began Bilbo once more, I watched him turn around and look at the tray "We forgot the wine, I'd better retrive it before I speak to Lord Elrond about that book I want to look at. I won't be long Elaina."

With that Bilbo walked out of the room.

"Does he always act like that after drinking coffee?" Thorin asked me, turning around again, watching me.

"No, I thought he liked tea!"

I frown remembering what Bilbo had just said.

"Did Bilbo just say Lord Elrond?"