Ellendil

Introductions

After the counsel Elle stole a few quiet minutes to herself to prepare. She had been given a task that she had accepted in a heart beat yet the thrill of an oncoming adventure wasn't filling her. Instead a dark dread and fearfulness was taking an iron hold. When Gandalf pulled out the morgul blade (that was widely known to have been buried with the witch king) and placed it on the table, all Elle could see was fire. Uncontrollable, fast growing fire piercing her imagination, sparking something terrifying in her mind. Something was coming. Something they did not yet understand and Ellendil was determined to find out what this necromancer was and this fire. It was only when Gandalf had told her of his plan, or more like she searched his mind, did she realise a piece of this puzzle. He left his mind open for her to search while he talked with the counsel, and in it she found her task. He wanted her to go with the dwarf company away from Rivendell and aid them in their journey to the lonely mountain, to reclaim their homeland and destroy Smaug. The fire drake from the north that had brought ruin to Erebor and it's people. This dragon had slaughtered thousands with fire. He was a weapon of terrible terrible destruction and had to be destroyed before this threat of a necromancer put him to use. There would be even more danger involved with this task other than a fire breathing beast. Others would question it and hesitate to go but Elle had no such time, and no such want to question adventures. There would be time for that on the way. Orcs? Not an issue. Wargs? Easy killing. Dragons? Bit of a challenge. But dwarves? Galadriel save her from the stubbornness of dwarves.
Elle packed a small pack and tied her belt that held her blade Nëanurathé around her narrow waist. She slung her precious bow on her back and filled her black carved quiver with her best arrows. She knew how to make more from the branches of the forest trees should she need them, which it was likely she would.
Just before afternoon set in, Elle was ready to leave. She was conscious that Gandalf didn't have much else to distract Elrond with and the lady Galadriel was probably already onto his plan of letting the dwarves slip away. The question is would she let them go unnoticed? Elle was glad the dwarves had left when they did, they would've probably never gotten away if they hadn't taken the initiative. Gandalf had shown the dwarves an unknown way to pass out of Rivendell unseen during the night and they had escaped. Elle guessed the dwarves had a couple of hours gain on her and she had to intercept them not follow them. To do this she decided to tack up her trusty black filly and head up after them, meaning to let her mount go back to the paddock when she had found the company.
Elle swung into the saddle upon her filly and trotted swiftly to the gates where two elves wearing the Rivendell crest on their armour, stood guard.
'Leaving are we? Again?' taunted the taller elf, with high hollow cheek bones. Elle had quite forgotten his name.
'Tragic, but yes. You really do fail to entertain me for long it seems.' Elle retorted, growing bored. Her filly swaying, unhappy at being halted.
'What is your business this time? Out to live like a wild woman?' He answered, his already narrow eyes narrowing further.
Elle laughed, utterly bewildered, who put this half wit in charge?
'I'm leaving, my business with lord Elrond is done. He has sent me out on a..uh' Elle hesitated 'very esteemed mission and he would not be pleased to know his guard postponed me on their own authority.' She said, blankly staring at the elf who had insulted her.
The shorter elf acted before the tall one could answer and lifted the gate and called after Elle as she galloped through 'May luck be with you on your quest my lady return soon!' His voice friendly and respectful. Elle wondered if he actually had any respect for her or was just remembering his courtesies. Honesty meant more to her.
She flew across the bridge and took a left up the narrow forest track, that only Elle frequently used. The dwarves would be hiking up the valley face to her right and she would reach the top before them without a doubt. The forest was beautiful, as soon as she broke the tree line it was like venturing into another world. The bird song sang out pure, the trees grew tall and the close knit boughs painted a mosaic canopy above her. She carried on, the trouble at the gate forgotten to her. They often put younger elves in training to guard the smaller gate out of Rivendell. This was done to discipline them, as they had to wait for long hours standing watchful through night and day. The elf who had attempted to taunt her didn't understand her, not one of them did. She didn't blame him, she was quite an exception to the traditional way of elf maids, and that one was all about tradition. Elle didn't care, she was out now, with no walled valleys and no elven sorceresses. She grinned, tears streaming from her eyes as the wind bit them and she stood up in the saddle, lent forward and clung to her fillies mane as they raced through the trees.
Elle flipped her leg behind her and flew off her saddle and landed on the soft moss beneath her feet. She waited a moment to see if the pain would come, as usually she'd land too forcefully and her feet would spasm up in pain. Elle usually hit the ground like a troll, but always tried an elegant swing off the saddle when in company to prove she could somewhat be majestic at times. When no pain came she smiled. She felt forceful, she had an important job to not mess up, but her feet apparently did not share in the forcefulness.
Elle wound the reins together under her fillies neck and fastened them intertwined with the throat lash to make sure they would not tangle amongst it's feet when it headed for home. When she was done Elle nuzzled the animal's nose with the back of her palm. The horse responded by face butting her in the chin and resumed by trying to itch it's forehead off her body, causing her to stumble.
"Well done for ruining the moment Rinaera. Don't you see the trees? Perfect itching posts but no, you just have to be a brute." Elle told the filly with a laugh. She sighed and stepped to the back of the horse and gave it a slap on the rump that caused it to bolt off back in the direction of Rivendell. Well, it would probably go back to Rivendell. Although Elle suspected it may take a detour to the rich grass plains at the foot of the uphill forest they had came through. She watched her black mount retreat back down the hill, it's rapid hoof beats vibrating through the ground.
Elle had reached the top of the cliff an hour or so ahead of the dwarves and so had decided during the wait for the company, to try and figure out how she was going to go about introducing herself. She had planned to 'ambush' them by waiting on a nearby ledge and call some witty observation when they drew near but she vowed that this wouldn't do as she done that to almost everyone, all the time. She needed something new and something that would prevent Thorin from throwing her off the cliff at first glance, which would be impossibly tricky.
She walked across the stony ridge and came to it's edge that cut into the cliff and overlooked the path the dwarves would be taking. The valley ran on forever below and the kingdom of Rivendell glistened in the afternoon sun. It was just when Elle was starting to relax that the the noise of grunting dwarves reached her. Damn. Thorin Oakenshield must of been making more haste than she had thought. She must of been only 20 minutes or so in front of the company.
'Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up.' Elle heard the dwarf prince mutter from around the bend of the moss covered stone path. She had crouched low and was staring down at the path waiting for the party to round the bend. When they did, Elle saw that it was a large muscly and tall dwarf leading. He had a thick short beard and a bald patch on the top of his head with dark tattoos etched on the sweaty skin. This must be Dwalin. She knew him a part from the others because of his rich accent and the fact he was basically up to her neck in height. The others swiftly followed but Elle didn't get much time to identify them as she slunk backwards on the ridge and out of sight. Elle breathed and tried to calm down, Thorin was totally going to throw her off the cliff. Not that he could, she was far too skilled but she'd rather he didn't feel the need to kill her. She spun on her heels and ran along the ridge. She saw the long ravine cut into the ground ahead of her and sped towards it. The hidden passage way. She dropped down into the pass the dwarves had entered the valley through a couple of days ago. There she found a big smooth rock and without a better plan she laid her leather pack on it and plonked herself down next to it. She hummed a tune and waited for the encounter to unfold.