Arien, Lady of Rivendell

Tales of old

They rode on for what seemed like an age. The rolling hills and green pastures of the shire seemed to fade away into only a memory behind them as the company strode on into the wilderness. For the most part Arien rode by herself in silence, she had little in common with the dwarves but would take the opportunity to converse with Bilbo when she could. Besides it was the only reason she was here really, to look after the hobbit.
After another many hours of riding as the sun began to set in the sky Thorin called out for them to make camp. They sheltered on a rocky clearing in the middle of the woodland and a fire soon sprung alight.
The elf sat herself down with her back against the rock near to the fire. Fili and Kili sent her a grin before seating themselves either side of her. "How you feeling?" Fili asked a touch of concern in his voice. Arien glanced up at him. "Fine, a little sore from riding but fine." She replied and noticed that many of the others had decided to get some sleep, including bomber who seemed to snore loud enough to make the ground shake a little. Beside him, Bilbo tossed and turned.
"Want one?" Kili asked as the young dwarves lit up their pipes and gestured it to her. Arien shook her head.
"No thanks, we don't see the need to smoke such things." She replied with a wrinkled nose, they laughed.
"Sorry I forgot you were an elf, they never were a race that had much fun." Kili commented and on her other side Fili chuckled to himself.
"That's not really true." She muttered and the dark haired dwarf raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really, tell me elfie what do you do for fun?" He responded mischievously and Arien rolled her eyes.
"I can assure you, whatever we do it's much more interesting and exciting than anything a dwarf could imagine." She replied and although the dwarves didn't reply there was still a large smirk plastered on both of their faces.

Across the fire Bilbo pulled himself to his feet obviously giving up on the idea of sleep and headed over to where he ponies were stood. The hobbit padded over to his steed with a grin on his face. Due to her heightened hearing she couldn't help but pick up on his words.
"Hello girl, whose a good girl." He said affectionately, stroking her nose before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bright red apple.
"It's our little secret Mertle, you must tell no one. Shh shhh." He said as the pony began to munch away.
Suddenly there was a low screech and Arien looked up and out into the distance, she notices that Fili and Kili had also noticed it.
"What was that? Bilbo asked spinning suddenly and walking back to the camp.
"Orcs." Kili replied following her gaze.
"Orcs?" Bilbo questioned worriedly.
"Throat cutters." Fili replied. "There'll be dozens of them out there. Low lands are crawling with them."
"They strike in the wee small hours of the night when everyone is asleep. Quick and quiet, no screams. Just lots of blood." Kili added and Ariens attention turned to Bilbo who was looking more scared by the minuet. The hobbit spun to look out into the distance searching for these terrifying creatures while Kili and Fili chuckled to themselves. She glared at them both but they did not quieten. Thorin seemed to pick up on it.
"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" The leader questioned his nephews. Kili gazed at Thorin with apologetic eyes, their laughing cut short.
"We didn't mean anything by it." He admitted.
"No you didn't. You know nothing of the world." Thorin muttered angrily and walked off. Kili glanced at her sadly but Arien said nothing. Thorin was right, it was foolish to say such things.

"Don't mind him laddie." Balin said noticing the young dwarves silence. "Thorin had more cause than most to hate orcs." Arien glanced at the older dwarf.
"And why may that be?" She asked, now curious as to Thorins past, Balin turned his attention to her then back to Thorin as he now stood away from the group, looking out into the wilderness beyond them.
"After the dragon took the lonely mountain, king Thror decided to reclaim the ancient dwarf Kingdom of Moria." Balin began. "But our enemy had got their first. Moria had been taken by legions of orcs, led by the most vile of all their race. Azog the defiler. The giant Gundaband Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the king." As he spoke all eyes began to turn towards Thorin. "Thrain, Thorins father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless, defeat and death were upon us. That is when I saw him, a young dwarf prince facing down the pale Orc. He stood along against this terrible foe. His armour bent, wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated, but there was no feast, no song that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived. And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow, there is one I could call king." He finished and by the time Arien looked back to Thorin, the dwarves had risen with respect, all eyes focused on him as he turned back to them. She had heard of tales like this from her father, but had not experienced any for herself. Though she knew that this was indeed an heroic event.
"But the pale Orc, what happened to him?" Bilbo asked.
"He slunk back into the hole whence he came." Thorin replied walking back through the company. "That filth died of his wounds long ago."
Arien looked down at the flames. She hoped that was true, for if it was not then she was sure no good would come of it. She decided for now to push it from her mind and instead grabbed her blankets and decided to get some sleep.