Time jump 60 years
I rode through a forest and spurred my horse some more.
"Go to Bag End, there you will find my mark." Gandalf's words echoed through my head. I shook my head once more at his stupid idea. I was supposed to accompany a group of dwarves on some journey, but the wizard had not told me where it was going. But one thing I knew, they were not just any dwarves, they were Erebor dwarves, who had a particular hatred for elves. No wonder after what had happened fifty years ago. Thranduil had simply refused to help the dwarves when they were down, because of the dragon's attack. Why Gandalf needed the Hobbit was beyond me, but then at least I had someone to look at me without prejudice, apart from Gandalf. My hand went to my sword hilt, which I had hidden under my cloak, when I heard a rustling in the bushes. The area I was in was known for orc attacks. I breathed a sigh of relief when it was only a deer looking at me from its brown eyes. I threw my father's cloak back over the hilt of my sword and relaxed. Not that I couldn't handle a few orcs, for apart from my mother's sword, I carried two daggers in a holster on each of my legs and several knives on my body. Apart from my fire powers, I only used my powers in an absolute emergency, because then everyone would immediately know who I was and there were so many who wanted to see me dead. I rode off again to be in Bag End in time, I had already passed the Shire border a few hours ago, but it was still a two hour ride until I arrived at my destination.

It was already getting dark as I approached my destination. I let my hair hang over my ears, they were not as spiky as full-blooded elves, but if someone told that an elf was running around in the village, there would be an uproar, hobbits were quite hicks after all. My black leather trousers and black bodice made me practically invisible in the dark, the only thing that flashed out now and then was my red blouse. I searched, my hood pulled deep into my face, for the mark Gandalf had left on the right house. After a short time I found it, it practically jumped out at my sensitive eyes. Leading my horse behind me, I walked quickly towards the front door. I knocked a little louder than I had intended, and already there was a rustling and rumbling inside.
"Who could that be at such a late hour?" I heard the hobbit mutter.
I stifled a groan and resisted the urge to bang my head against the wall of the house, Gandalf probably hadn't told the Hobbit what was in store for him.
Just then the door was pulled open and a red-haired hobbit in a dressing gown stood in front of the door.
I smiled kindly at him "Hello, I suppose Gandalf didn't say anything about my coming did he?" I tied my horse to the fence and took off my hood.
I could see the cogs working in the hobbit's brain before he replied "No, but please come in. My name is Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins."
I held out my hand to him "Leona." , I followed the hobbit and placed my sword and daggers on a chest, I kept the knives, I was not comfortable being completely unarmed. I took off my cloak. "Am I the first?" I knew the answer already, because if there were dwarves here it would be a lot louder. But I wanted to say something to break the silence.
Bilbo raised his eyebrows "I don't know who else should come, but do you want something to eat?"
I had to grin, the poor man didn't know what he was in for. I nodded kindly to the food, for I hadn't eaten in about a day. Rather unconsciously, I brushed my hair back, forgetting that my ears were visible as a result....
I had forgotten about hobbit politeness, though, because Bilbo just pretended he hadn't just found out that there was an Elf woman standing in front of him and led me to a table.
"Please." he pointed to a fish with vegetables "help yourselves."
"That's not your food was it?" I was plagued with remorse, I was very hungry but I didn't want to eat the poor hobbit's food away.
Before Bilbo could answer, another knock sounded.
With a "Excuse me a moment." Bilbo disappeared towards the door.
I grabbed an armchair and retreated to the dark corner of the room, grinning as I wondered how long it would take for one of the dwarves to notice me.
Bilbo came running again, looking slightly overwhelmed, as a dwarf with long grey-black hair and an axe on his back dropped into the chair where I had been sitting two seconds ago. Bilbo's gaze moved to me, and nodded in understanding as I put a finger to my mouth.
If I had had scruples about stealing the hobbit's dinner, they did not apply to the dwarf. He gobbled the food down "Very good this." he smacked his lips as he took the last bite "Any more?"
Bilbo grabbed a plate full of rolls, with difficulty I stifled a laugh as he hid one behind his back "Please help yourselves." he offered the glutton. The doorbell rang again, Bilbo hurried to the door and returned with a white-haired dwarf whose nose had seen better days. He didn't notice me either and the two dwarves probably went into the pantry, where Bilbo quickly followed them, probably to stop them from eating all his food.
I quickly grabbed a roll from the plate and retreated to my corner. The next knock made me sit up and take notice, this time there were two of them. I focused a little.
"Careful with these I just sharpened them yesterday." I heard a young dwarf voice.
I grinned, so we had a weapons freak who loved his swords as much as I did. But I had a different background, my sword was all I had left of my mother. I closed my eyes and shook my head as I heard the dwarves raiding the pantry. They were hauling loads of food into the room I was sitting in.
"Hey who's that?" called a dark-haired dwarf who must have come along with the blond one.
I grinned and stepped out of the shadows "My name is Leona." I had forgotten that my hair was not hanging over my ears "I received Gandalf's invitation as you did."
"An elven woman! You've got to be kidding me." i was glared at crossly by the older black haired dwarf with the axe.
I heaved a sigh of relief "First of all I'm only half elf the other half I'm a dwarf and secondly you shouldn't care if I'm a woman."
"We don't have time to babysit!" he growled anyway.
Now the young brown haired dwarf interfered "Dwalin you are overreacting."
Glad that someone was defending me, I grinned, but still I had to make a statement. Faster than anyone could blink I drew one of my knives and cut the cord of Dwalnin's cloak that was hanging from a heel. The knife stuck in the wood, the cloak sailed to the ground " Lovely of you, but I can take care of myself."
Before Dwalnin could rant the dwarf with the snow white hair introduced himself "My name is Balin." he bowed his head which meant a lot coming from a dwarf.
"I am Fili." the blond haired dwarf couldn't be very old yet.
I walked over to the wood and pulled the knife out again with a jerk.
"My name is Kili." the dwarf who had defended me before also bowed his head.
I had to force myself to look away from him, I didn't know what it was, but there was something about this dwarf.
"Gandalf!" I heard an annoyed Bilbo mutter from the doorway. Apparently the rest of the dwarves had arrived.
A short time later I was sitting next to Gandalf, devouring huge amounts of food. It was only after a few seconds that I noticed one of the dwarves staring at me "What is it?" as far as I remembered his name was Bofur.
"I thought elves didn't eat meat?" he pointed at the ham that was on my plate and tasted great by the way.
I rolled my eyes in annoyance "I don't think much of that habit, besides I'm only half elven." I caught a roll that flew past me.
"Hey!" exclaimed Dwalnin, for whom it had actually been intended.
"Who wants more beer!" suddenly shouted Fili and started running around the table with mugs of beer
"Get off my food!" Kili protested, smacking his brother's legs.
I had to grin, if this continued it could be quite funny after all. But there was still one tiny hitch, their leader wasn't here yet, the dwarf who hated the elves more than anyone else, someone who would show up here soon. Everyone fell silent as someone banged on the door so hard it was almost ripped off its hinges.
"He is here," Gandalf remarked dryly.