Ya'aburnee

Midsummers Eve

She avoided the group (but specifically Thorin) for the entirety of the next day. She felt a little guilty for her outburst, but also was also unsure how to apologize without telling him everything, and that, she was not ready for. She spent her time holed up in the library, using her dictionary to try and translate a book as she read it, only making it to the fourth page by the time it began to get dark. 

So enthralled in her translation, she did not hear the voices until the group had entered the library. "Ah, Ms. Lund, you are still here." Elrond's voice made her jump.

"Oh." She saw behind him Gandalf, Bilbo, Thorin, and Balin. "Yes."

"Getting a bit dark for reading, is it not?" Gandalf asked, and she shrugged, refusing to meet Thorin's gaze. "Come, we have much to discuss with Lord Elrond." Gandalf continued, noting the tension in the air. Liv nodded, shutting the books and climbing down the stairs to stand amongst the group, by Gandalf's side.

"Now," Elrond said, "What was it you wanted me to look at?"

The dwarves were begrudging of an answer, so Gandalf spoke. "We have a map, we believe it may have hidden properties."

"Can I see this map?" Elrond asked.

"Our business is no concern of elves." Thorin argued.

"For goodness sake," Gandalf was exasperated. "Thorin, show him the map!"

"It is the legacy of my people." Both Thorin and Balin were cross and aloof. "It is mine to protect, as are it's secrets."

Olivia bit back a snarky laugh. What good are secrets if you do not even know the secrets yourself?

"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves!" Gandalf turned in exasperation to Liv, as if prompting her to say something, but she was sure Thorin would listen to her even less than he listened to Gandalf, and her eyes widened slightly and she subtly shook her head. "Your pride will be your downfall," Gandalf tried again to reason with Thorin, who merely stuck his chin out further, stubborn determination on his face. "You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle Earth who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."

An awkward silence stretched out as Elrond looked on politely at Thorin, who was all but glaring daggers. Liv too watched the king, waiting for him to come to his senses. Slowly, Thorin reached inside his coat, pulling the map forth. "Thorin no," Balin tried to stop him, but Thorin pushed his hand away, stepping forwards and holding the map out to Elrond.

The elf lord unfolded the piece of parchment, looking at it for a moment before looking up to Thorin. "Erebor? What is your interest in this map?"

Thorin opened his mouth to speak, but Gandalf cut him off, speaking first. "It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text." Elrond turned away, and Gandalf looked down to Thorin, raising an eyebrow, as if to challenge the dwarf's earlier thought that Gandalf was going to give away the entirety of the quest to the elves. Thorin sighed, subtly nodding to the wizard. Gandalf continued to speak to Elrond. "You still read ancient dwarvish, do you not?"

Elrond stopped, looking up to the moon, before inspecting the map more closely. "Ah, cirth ithil."

"Moon runes," Olivia translated.

"Of course." Gandalf smiled, turning to Bilbo. "An easy thing to miss."

"Well in this case, that is true," Elrond replied, "moon runes can only be read by the the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written." He turned back to the group.

"Can you read them?" Thorin asked, and Elrond nodded, motioning for them to follow him. 

As they walked out onto a precipice beneath a waterfall, Elrond began to explain. "These runes were written on a midsummers eve, by the light of a crescent moon, nearly 200 years ago." There was a circular carving in the stone of the floor, a pillar of ulexite in the center. "It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield. The same moon shines upon us tonight."