Ash's POV

I walked down the beautiful halls to the dining area, where my company was.. I only feared how thorin would react to me being an elf.. how the others will relax. I sighed and lifted the bottom of the dress I had on slightly so I could go up the steps, forcing a smile.

I also had on the headwear my father had given to me.. I didn't want it.. I abandoned it here when I left all those years ago.. elrond kept it for me.. the only reason I'm wearing it is for its sentimental value..

When I finally got to the dwarves the shut up momentarily and looked at me. Thorin looked furious while the others looked surprised. "Las ?.. your wearing a dress?" Balin asked. "Yes.. it's what normal elvish women wear as respect when having food" I replied, sitting down and not making eye contact.

"Lithônion? Are you alright? Your very quiet" Gandalf ask. I muttered "I'm fine" before going back to my food. "Traitor.." I heard thorin say.

"Eca, a mitta lambetya cendelessë orcova" I told him. "Lithônion!" Gandalf yelled at me making me flinch. "Á-Ánin apsenë.." I apologised. Thorin kept glaring at me, probably thinking I was badmouthing him. I felt like a child that had just shattered a window..

"She apologised Thorin" Gandalf told him. "I don't care. What did she say ?" He asked. I looked down guiltily. "I amn't repeating it infront if our host. I'll tell you later" Gandalf said, making it worse..

"I'm not hungry anymore.." I said as I got up and pushed my plate away. "Thank you for the food.." I said to lord elrond before leaving.

A few hours later elrond found me standing on one of the balconies. It had some sort of alter in it. Infront of it was a beautiful cliff and waterfall, making the slowly setting sun and rising moon sparkle off eachother. I couldn't help but smile as the sky turned pink.

"I knew I'd find you here" he said to me. "How is that?.." I asked. "You'd always come her as a child when you'd run off. Your mother would come looking for you and then we'd lose her to. She'd be here holding you over the balcony so you could touch the waterfall" he told me with a smile. I smiled back at him. "I do vaguely remember something like that.." I said.

"It looks like you also inherited your mother's lucky ability to be in the right place at the right time without knowing. Because we have guests" he said. I turned to see Gandalf, thorin, balin and Bilbo waiting for us.

"Our business is no concern of elves." Thorin said to Gandalf. Gandalf glared slightly. "For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map." Gandalf ordered. "It is the legacy of my people; it is mine to protect, as are its secrets." Thorin said, refusing to let it go. My old friend rolled his eyes. "Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle­earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond." Gandalf said, losing his patience. Me and elrond glanced at eachother, the look in our eyes saying to wait to talk. We all then looked at thorin as he thought quietly to himself. He begins to hand the map to Elrond, and Balin tries to stop him. "Dammit.." I muttered. "Thorin, no!" Balin insisted. Thorin brushed Balin aside and hands Elrond the map. Elrond looks at it curiously. "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?" Elrond asked. I scanned over the map, my eyes landing on the dragon. I couldn't help but feel my blood run cold. Thorin was about to speak, but Gandalf interrupts him. "It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text. You still read Ancient Dwarvish, do you not?" He asked. Elrond walks a little bit away, looking at the map. As the moonlight hits the map, his eyes lit up. My ears perked out of my hair as if I were a curious dog. I felt thorin glaring holes into the back of my skull as he did so. "Cirth Ithil." Elrond said. I looked over his shoulder. He was right.. it was hard to see but then outlined of something written many moons ago was barely readable.

"Moon runes. Of course. An easy thing to miss." Gandalf said, making me laugh. "Well in this case, that is true; moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written." Elrond said. "Can you read them?" Thorin asked in an almost desperate tone. Elrond nodded, laying the map down on the crystal table/alter. "These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield; the same moon shines upon us tonight." Elrond said, as the rays of the moon shin on the table, causing light to flow through the map. I watched in awe like a child watching fireworks.

Ancient runes become visible on the map, and Elrond translates them out loud. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole." He said, one again glancing over the mouth curiously. "Durin's Day?" Bilbo asked, being as confused as I was.

"It is the start of the dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together." Gandalf told us. "That sound beautiful" I said. "This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us." Thorin said to us. "We still have time." Balin said. "Time?" I asked. "Time for what?" Bilbo asked. "To find the entrance. We have to be standing at exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened." Balin said.

"So this is your purpose, to enter the Mountain." Elrond asked. "What of it?" Thorin replied. "Don't be rude.." I muttered. "There are some who would not deem it wise." Elrond said. Thorin takes back the map gruffly. "What did I just say thorin ?" I said to him. "Shut up traitor" he said to me. "Excuse me ?" I asked him. "You heard me !" He yelled at me making me flinch. "Thorin don't yell" balin said. "What are you talking about? How did she betray you?" Bilbo asked. "She's apart of the elves. She could be a spy" he said. I glared at him. "You know what? Find. Brood all you want thorin. I amn't going to stop you. I amn't spying on you. I came to your company because I was asked to. I didn't want to. I would have rather died by wargs then meet you because I was told you'd kill me for being an elf. And I was actually starting to see good in you. But I guess I was wrong, you care about no one but yourself" I told him. Before he would reply I felt elrond s hand on my shoulder. Thorin went silent as I was guided away.

Elrond sighed as he led me to my room.. well it wasn't exactly mine.. I just sleep in it whenever I'm here..

"You need to stop snapping like that" he told me. "He's insulting me so I'm insulting him back.." I told him. "Please just remember your manners alright?.." he asked, almost as if he was losing a loved one. I frowned and nodded. "Sorry.. forgive me" I told him. His smile returned and he nodded. "Posto vae, Ollo vae" he told me with a smile, like he was my parent. He gently pulled back the hair on my forehead and kisses it, making me smile as I watched him leave and quietly close the door.

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Elvish to English translations
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{Go French-kiss an orc}
Eca, a mitta lambetya cendelessë orcova

Lithônion
{ash}

{Forgive me}
Ánin apsenë

{Rest well}
Posto vae

{Sweet dreams}
Ollo vae

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Lil'nightfury