Authoress Note: Welcome to Chapter 14 The Second Daughter. Thank you to all of those who are still following this story. It really means a lot to me that is for sure. It also rather curious of who you that Ara should be with in the end. I kind of left it open ended in some conversations with the siblings of Ara. So it is either Thorin, Kili, or Fili. I know that Throin seems more of a choice since they have a history with one another. Perhaps more than what I am showing at the moment. I hope that you guys enjoy this next chapter. Without further ado Chapter 14.
Chapter 14
Choices
"How are we going to get out of here without being seen?" Bofur asked, looking at the rest of the company. He saw the same look that was written on their faces. His question was directed at the elleth that stood in front of them.
Aranduriel smiled a small smile. She knew that this question was coming. She knew that they would not be able to get through this pathway without her help; that was why Gandalf still wanted her to help them. "That is easy. Just follow me." She said, as she began to move swiftly through the night. "The night is our friend. Come we do not have much time and do try to be silent."
The dwarves followed Aranduriel.
"Uncle, why are we still bringing her along on this quest?" Fili asked his uncle softly, trying not to let himself be heard by Aranduriel.
"She is the only one to know how to get out of Rivendell without being caught." He told his nephew. He still didn't like the idea of having Aranduriel on this quest, but knew that he needed her to get them through Mirkwood if they were to go through it.
Fili couldn't help, but groan. He didn't like the idea that she was going with them. But he was going to have to deal with her. It wouldn't be too much longer until Durin's day and he wouldn't have to see her ever again. He could only hope that he would not forgive her before it came time to Durin's day and they were at Erebor. He watched her move and his thoughts were beginning to cloud about her. He knew that he shouldn't have treated her the way that he had. He knew that Balin's story had a lot more truth behind it than a little bit. He didn't know what to think of the Lady of Rivendell that was leading them right out of her home and onto a path that would lead them into the wild.
Aranduriel stopped suddenly. She saw Lindir rushing past their hiding area. He must've found out that she was not in her room which meant that they didn't have much time. She made a quick movement with her head. She wasn't about to let them be found out that they were leaving the valley and continuing on with this folly quest in the eyes of her kin. Which were not all the same. They were just concerned of what might happen if the dragon would be awoken. She followed the small path that she had used once before to get out of the valley and into the lands of the wild. It was the same path that she had taken when she had left the first time around.
They began their journey on the narrow path.
"Be careful." She called back to them. "This path is a narrow one. Wouldn't want you to fall off." She continued to lead them out of the valley.
Bilbo watched the elleth look back behind them in a sad motion. He couldn't help, but read her face. He saw the sadness etched across her face and in her eyes. Why leave here? She would be so much better off away from the dwarves. The ones that pretty much wanted her back there in the valley and not on the quest with them. But then he remembered Balin's story. He now understood why Thorin was not being so nice to Aranduriel. He had already lost her once before, but he could not help, but wonder why it made Thorin so bitter towards the elleth.
Meanwhile back in the valley Lindir was rushing towards the meeting. He had been told by Lord Elrond not to interrupt the meeting unless it was important. This was important. His daughter was gone and the dwarves and small hobbit were nowhere to be seen. He didn't understand what was going through his lady's mind by doing this, but he had deemed her not right in the head. He knew that there was something more to this story than what he was told by his lord. But at that moment, he could only hope that Lord Elrond would not demote him for this happening.
Lindir took a deep breath and walked into the meeting that was going on between Gandalf, Saruman, Elrond, and Galadriel.
All eyes went to Lindir.
"My Lord Elrond. The dwarves, they've gone. And Lady Aranduriel is gone too." Lindir said nervously.
Lord Elrond looked over at Gandalf. He knew that his friend knew something about his daughter leaving. But what he didn't know was that Lady Galadriel had something behind Aranduriel leaving. He wasn't about to risk losing his eldest daughter. Not on a quest that was so folly and would end in death. Lord Elrond turned sharply to Lindir. "Send out Elladan and Elrohir." He told Lindir.
Lindir bowed his head and rushed to go and find Elladan and Elrohir.
Meanwhile they were walking high above Rivendell going towards the wild.
"Be on your guard. We're about to step over the edge of the Wild. Balin, you know these paths. Lead on." Thorin told his long time friend.
"Aye." Balin said taking the lead from Aranduriel, who had long since slowed up and began to walk behind most of the company.
Bilbo looked back at Rivendell with longing. He was going to miss it for sure. He should have taken Lord Elrond's offer and stayed there, but he didn't want to leave Aranduriel all alone with 13 dwarves. Most of them he knew hated her.
"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up." Thorin told the sandy haired hobbit.
Bilbo turned around and began to walk slowly. He only hoped that he was doing the right thing by leaving Rivendell. Bilbo looked over at Aranduriel and walked up to her. "Why?"
Aranduriel looked over at the sandy haired hobbit. "Why what, Master Baggins?" She was confused as to why Bilbo asked her why.
"Why continue on this quest? Thorin said that you were going to be staying behind."
Aranduriel smiled. "I know that Thorin wouldn't allow me to continue on. But he knows that he needs me. I have already made my choice Master Baggins. I am to help them through the Greenwood."
Bilbo looked at her confused. He couldn't understand why they needed her to get through the Greenwood. "Why do we need you to get through Greenwood?"
"The Greenwood is a dangerous path." She told him. She wouldn't dare tell Bilbo about Thranduil. But she couldn't help, but think that Gandalf had chosen the wrong elleth to lead them through the Greenwood. The last time that she had seen Thranduil she had run away from him saying no to him about an important matter, but it really didn't concern them at that moment. She wouldn't admit something that didn't really concern them. She felt bad enough for hiding things from them for so long.
Bilbo took a deep breath. "Uh…" He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. How dangerous was this path that she would be leading them on. "H-how dangerous?"
"Losing the path would cause dangers of it's own. The greenwood elves are not like the rest of my kin." She didn't want to go any further than that.
Bilbo looked at her nervously. "And you are willing to leave your home behind to help a group of people who don't think you belong?"
Aranduriel stopped in her tracks and looked back at Bilbo. "I only continue on this quest Master Baggins because everyone deserves to have a home. And they rightfully belong back home in the halls of Erebor. I would risk my own life to do so."
Thorin heard what she had said and turned his head sharply. He looked at the elleth. He knew that she would lay down her own life in order for his people to return to the halls that they rightfully belonged to, but he didn't want her to die to give them something back. Her life was more important than what she was telling Bilbo.
Aranduriel looked at Thorin and nodded her head before she began walking again and walked past him. Without anyone else knowing her hand lightly touched his as she walked past him.
A small smile came to Thorin's lips. He knew that she was no longer upset with him. He was glad about that and he wasn't so upset with her either. He was willing to put their differences aside when she had given her reasoning behind continuing on with this quest. But he could not help, but wonder what was going on between her and his nephew, Fili. He looked over at Fili and saw that his nephew was watching Aranduriel's form. Whatever was going on between the two of them he would now allow it. Not now and not ever. Aranduriel was a half-elven woman and Fili was a prince and his heir. He would not allow there to be a mixture of blood between the two races, no matter how much he cared about Aranduriel. His eyes then went to Aranduriel. He saw how she was moving and knew that she had felt bad and upset about something. He wasn't sure if it was due to the conversation that they had earlier or it was something else.
He was concerned about her a lot. He didn't want to see her get hurt. Not in the least bit. She was still his friend. His hand went to the necklace that he wore and remembered the words that they had exchanged when she had left to return home to Rivendell. The same place that she was leaving now with them. She was leaving her people to be with a group of people that her kind didn't get along with.
Aranduriel walked up the narrow path. Her long black hair shielded her face away from the company's prying eyes. She allowed the tears that she had hidden from the company to fall from her eyes. She was going to miss her brothers and father. She knew once Lindir had given word to her father that he would send Elladan and Elrohir after her and bring her back to Rivendell along with the rest of the company, but she knew that it was going to be most likely too late for her twin brothers to find them and bring them back which she was very thankful for.
Meanwhile back in Rivendell Lindir had finally found Elladan and Elrohir. "Elladan, Elrohir."
The twin elves looked at their father's in charge of dealing with things.
"What is Lindir?" Asked Elrohir, crossing his arms.
"Lady Aranduriel has left the valley." Lindir told the brothers. He knew that this was probably not going to end well for you.
Elladan and Elrohir's eyes grew wide. They should have known that their younger sister would leave the valley again. They were not sure why, but they knew that she was about as stubborn as they were and they kind of wished that they didn't corrupt her mind when they were younger. They were off to the armory to gather their things and begin their hunt down for the company of 13 dwarves, one hobbit, and their younger sister.
Meanwhile Kili had caught up to Aranduriel. "Hey." He said with a cheery smile.
Aranduriel looked over at Kili in surprise. She wasn't expecting him to talk to her. Not with the information that his uncle had told him about her being a lady or Rivendell.
Kili laughed lightly. "I am glad that you decided to continue on this quest."
Aranduriel smiled a small sad smile. "I am too." She said softly, as she continued on the path. She wasn't about to tell Kili that she felt like she wasn't welcomed in the company. She knew that his brother was still very upset with her and what he had said about her just made her feel worse. Oh so much worse and she wouldn't allow him to know that.
Meanwhile Elladan and Elrohir had left to see if they could go and find the company that had left early in the morning.
"Tell me again why we are going after them." Elrohir asked his twin brother as they began to take the narrow path that was leading them out of the valley.
Elladan looked at his brother. "Because she shouldn't have gone out. She is walking right out into danger. You know this."
Elrohir shook his head. "I think that she is doing what she should be doing. She always had been a little bit different. Remember when we found our mother?" He asked, looking at his brother. He remembered everything that Aranduriel had done when they had found their mother and Araduriel was with them. He now knew why Aranduriel wanted to help the dwarves reclaim their homeland.
Elladan looked at his brother like he had gone insane. "And if she falls in love with a dwarf?"
"Who are we to judge?" He questioned.
Elladan still didn't like the idea of his sister falling in love with a dwarf. He had noticed the change in her when he talked to her last. Their last meeting didn't go too well. She had yelled at him and called him a fool. Just because she wanted to continue helping the race that would not keep their promises. Perhaps Elrohir was right. Aranduriel was no longer an elfling. She was a lady of Rivendell and was allowed to give her heart to whoever she wanted to give it to. But he would feel bad if his sister had to choose between a mortal and an eternal life. He didn't want to lose her forever. Watch her die like he had to watch others die. He just couldn't.
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This is the end of chapter 14. There is a surprise in the next chapter. I will give you all a warning that the next chapter is a filler chapter and there will be a flashback in the next chapter. I am also thinking ahead for this chapter that is for sure. I am thinking ahead to The Desolation of Smaug and how to write that part of the story by getting ideas for it, but I am waiting very patiently for it to come out in an extended edition. I also will ask a question later in this to debate on whether or not I will be going into Lord of the Rings to kind of continue on with the story and have Aranduriel reunite with her family. But I will be asking that question much much later in the story. I kind of don't know where this will end up leading as I write this. I don't know who will live and who will end up dying in this story. Until next time.