Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Twelve]

 "I cannot see where the pathway leads." Dwalin shouted as he glanced down the narrow way that now laid before them and then he looked back at the wizard and the leader." Do we follow it or no?"

" Follow it, of course!" Bofur shouted, not wanting to go back the way they came and the rest of the company felt the same. Gandalf shifted in his spot.

" I think that would be wise." The dwarves started pushing their way down the path. As it weaved, it was getting narrow, making it very difficult for most of the dwarves to go through; especially Bombur. He had to get three of him comrades to help push him through. Freya looked at this passage in awe. She had read a lot about Rivendell, but most of their secret passageways were kept very secretive from over races and their enemies.

The pathway eventually led out to a beautiful sight the cousins had ever seen. Down below them was a valley; the city of Rivendell. Freya and Bilbo stood on the flat rock platform behind the company as they gazed at the beauty of the land.

" The Valley of Imraldis. In the common tongue, it's known by another name." Gandalf spoke, moving from behind the hobbits, breaking the silence that had come over the company since they had come out of cave.

" Rivendell." Bilbo finally said, as a smile spread across his face. He had always wanted to meet the elves since he and Freya were just wee hobbit's.

" Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea" Gandalf said as Thorin turned around, glaring at the wizard unimpressed.

" This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin growled at the wizard, who gave the prince a stern look, but stayed calm.

" You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself." Freya and Bilbo were silently listening to the dwarf and wizard exchange words and Thorin noticed the woman looking at them and he gave her a quick glance and then looked back at the wizard.

" You think the elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us." He insisted.

" Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf stated. Thorin let out a sigh. " If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me." And with that said the company began to follow the path down that came to a bridge. The dwarves began to walk across it, watching all around them with uneasy stares, encase an elf or something else decided to come at them.

Bilbo and Freya both gazed at the home of the elves, and the beautiful sound of the waterfall's around them. The hobbit's turned around to see an elf with long dark hair coming down a flight of stairs, looking at the group of dwarves that had now come into there lands, until he saw a familiar face.

" Mithrandir."

" Ah, Lindir!." Gandalf greeted back to the elf. The dwarves quietly murmured amongst themselves in distrust. Freya and Bilbo still couldn't understand what their problem was, with elves. Freya heard Thorin whispering to Dwalin.

" Stay sharp."

The elf and wizard started talking in elvish to each other, making the dwarves glare at the wizard, wondering what they were talking about.

" I must speak with Lord Elrond." Gandalf insisted.

" My lord Elrond is not here."

" Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf wondered, and before the elf could answer, a familiar horn from earlier is heard. The company and the two hobbits turn around to see a group of armed horsemen approaching over the bridge at a rapid speed. Thorin shouted in dwarfish to the company. " Hold ranks!"