Ellendil

Starlight

She must find Gandalf and fast. Elle spun on her heels and bumped right into the dark haired dwarf who had been slowly approaching. 'Oh.' is all Elle said as she stumbled back. She could not catch a moment without distraction. The dwarf immediately smiled at her, not afraid to meet her gaze . 'Sorry. Uh, hello I'm Kili, you saved my life.' The dwarf said quickly. Elle just looked blankly back still startled. He attempted to start again realising his last attempt at communication had failed. ' Sorry I heard voices and I've been meaning to find you. Kili's the name.' The dwarf said kindly. Elle regained herself and grinned. She was a fool, where had she got Kooli from anyway? No one would do that to their child, not even a dwarf mother would see that as an acceptable name. She quickly noted the tallness of this dwarf and then chose to answer him. 'Ellendil.' She stated. Then quickly added 'Thats what my name is.' Never mind half wit, she felt like she'd lost more than half her wit right now. 'Right!' exclaimed Kili weirdly delighted. These dwarves had already broken into the Rivendell wine cellars, she could tell. 'I wanted to thank you, for saving my life back at the pass. But I don't want to thank you for laughing at me at the feast.' Kili said and looked up at her, and smiled mischievously. Elle gave a shake of her head and a smirk back.
'It is not me you have to thank, it was a promise that made my arrow fly. The runestone you carry, what is it?' Elle questioned. Kili looked surprised, but after a moment of suspicion he sighed and accepted that elves must just know things. 'It's a malicious thing, a talisman, if anyone reads
these runes and they are not of dwarvish race.' He shook his head and continued 'They will be forever cursed!' He shouted dramatically as he brought the runestone from his pocket and showed it to Ellendil. She looked at the rune stone, not amused, an eyebrow raised. Kili grinned stupidly for a while, then swiftly gave up. 'Or not,' he said in between a laugh 'depending on wether you believe that sort of thing, it's just a token.' He said with another soft laugh then once again smiled. That smile brought an equal one from Elle and she mused on her decision to like this dwarf. She'd never met anyone who'd say something as stupid as that. 'My mother gave me it so-so I would remember my promise.' Kili stuttered as he looked at the ground. Elle was right it was a promise. 'What promise?' Elle pressed inquisitively, trying to figure him out. 'That I would come back to her.' Kili said his eyes quickly cast up to meet hers. Elle looked back waiting for more. 'She fears I'm reckless' is all he offered. Elle looked at him intently. 'And are you?' She asked gently, already knowing the answer. 'Nah.' breathed Kili with a shrug and he tossed the runestone into the air, he meant to catch it but instead missed it completely and his hand grasped at empty air. As Kili's runestone fell through the air Elle lazily reached out and caught the heavy stone and grinned at the dwarves sheepish look. 'Of course.' Elle said as she glanced at the talisman and handed it back to the dwarf. His finger traced hers for a moment as he took it back. Elle took a deep breath, sighed, and ignored the touch. Instead she silently looked at him. He had dark eyes that glinted in the distant firelight. A beard was absent yet he did have some stubble surrounding his chin and up his cheeks. He was tall and muscular, and wore boiled leather and animal hide. Elle then looked deeper. He was young and reckless, yet brave. Very brave. She tore away from his smiling eyes. 'It sounds like quite the celebration you are having down there.' Elle observed as she went to sit on a nearby window ledge beside the staircase. Kili leant on the wall beside her. 'Their spirits are high tonight, I believe they will carry on this celebration as long as the elves have meat and wine.' Kili stated, his kindly eyes looking down onto his companions below as they sang and laughed around the fire. Elle let out a snort in remark. She sensed a fierce loyalty in him, he'd die for any of them she realised. A loyalty Elle knew she had once had for those she loved also. That was before they were lost to her...or she was lost to them. With that thought in her mind she cast her eyes up into the stars in the clear sky and thought about what it would be like walking up there amongst them, being able to leave behind her dark past and her blank future.

'Can you imagine being up there? Walking out of this valley and up into the night? The world falling away the white light never fading...' Elle whispered as she continued to stare in wonder at the stars, their light so bright they could be seen reflected in her eyes. Kili leaned forward at her question and glanced up into the night sky through the open window. 'Is it not a pale sort of light? Distant and far away...falling ever further-' he trailed off and instead cocked his head and looked at Elle deeply. A hint of a smile played on his lips '-They are beautiful.' He finished, having changed his mind. Ellendil looked back, wondering why he stared like that. Then quickly turned away, suddenly very aware of Kili's gaze. Her heart raced, it didn't do that. Damn that smile of his. She was thankful he didn't let the moment linger. 'Ive been up mountains so high it was like we were as much apart of the sky as those stars, you know. I've looked down on the red sun being born to a morning. I saw a fire moon once.' Kili boasted, leaning toward Elle, eager to tell his story. She rested her chin on her hands, eyes stuck on him and she listened, utterly intrigued by this young dwarf. The sun was creeping back above the valley cliffs and the dwarf company had long since fell asleep when the dwarf and the elf were finally interrupted from their long accounts of adventures and findings. They had found a fair share of things to argue about too, of course. He was after all a stubborn dwarf as she was a stubborn elf. They had just begun to finish debating why setting off with the sun at your back wouldn't take you to the sea of the west, when they were abruptly interrupted. 'Elle do you get out of Rivendell at all? You wouldn't get anywhere with that sort of elf thinking. You'd never find the sea of the west even if you were on one of your fancy 'sacred swan' row boats or whatever your folk name them, bobbling along in it!' Kili taunted as Ellendil shook her head in disagreement. She was winding him up and he had no idea. 'Living under the ground has clearly left your sense of direction about as accurate as a-' Elle stopped mid sentence and stood at the sound of her name as Londarul approached her, wearing pale purple robes that swept the floor. 'My lady, you are requested at the high table. Lord Elrond and Gandalf are in need of your counsel.' He announced, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Kili rising from the floor where he had previously sat cross legged. Damn it to Mordor how did she get so distracted? Gandalf was the priority, she was meant to find him hours ago. She just noticed the dawning day outside, when did it get light again?
'My Lady? high counsel? Who are you?' Kili asked curiously. His brow furrowed beneath his black hair that came in waves to his shoulders. Londarul went to answer him but Ellendil cut him short. 'Im someone that needs to go now apparently. By the way I managed to keep you wound up for an hour or maybe more I'd say. I am aware you'd never find the west sea with the sun at your back. You should be ashamed dwarf.' Elle smirked wickedly at Kili who's eyes went wide in disbelief and his mouth fell open. 'Farewell Kili. Oh and Londarul here is in fact not an elf maid before you say anything you are going to turn scarlet for saying after.' She called to him laughing as she left him there, his open mouth slowly turned into the same grin that Elle now wore as she stalked quickly away to find Gandalf. Londarul inspected Kili as he shook his head and shouted after Elle 'Till next time we meet?' Elle continued on and didn't answer him.
Londarul continued to look back quizzically at the dwarf as he swiftly followed Elle through the corridors.