The Dragon (Book Five in the Aerlinniel's Secret Series)

Chapter 3: The Cellars

Imryll POV

I rush up and down the halls of the Woodland-Realm searching for any signs of the Dwarves. So far I haven't had any luck. I need to find them, soon.

As I turn down yet another hallway I hear two Elves speaking in Elvish. They are talking about the Dwarves, they must be nearby.

I sneak by the two Elves and see another Elf, an Elleth, walking this way and hide behind a pillar. I look again and notice that there are cells along this hallway. The Dwarves are in the cells around where I am. The Elleth stops in front of one of the cells.

"The stone in your hand, what is it?" She asks the Dwarf that's in the cell. I can't tell who it is from here.

"It is a talisman. A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed." The Dwarf, Kili, says to her. I can see him show her a stone

The Elleth steps back slightly and begins to walk away, but stops when Kili speaks again.

"Or not, depending on whether you believe that kind of thing. It's just a token." He tells her. "A runestone. My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise."

"What promise?" She asks him.

"That I will come back to her." He answers. "She worries. She thinks I'm reckless."

"Are you?"

"Nah."

I hear something drop and see the stone roll out of his cell, but the Elleth stops it with her foot before it can roll into the deep pit that's outside of the cells. She picks it up and inspects it. I look back over at the cell and see Kili standing at the door. I hear laughter in the distance, I wonder what's going on.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there." Kili says to her.

"It is Mereth-en-Gilith, the Feast of Starlight. All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood Elves love best the light of the stars." She tells him, walking slightly away from him.

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away." He says, sadly.

She walks back towards Kili and says, "It is memory, precious and pure. Like your promise." She smiles and hands Kili back his stone. "I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fill the air."

"I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland, huge; red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path. I wish I could show you..." Kili tells her, she seems interested in what he has to say and sits down on a step.

I know I should find Aerlinniel and let her know where they are. Kili and the Elleth are cute together. I laugh at myself, what am I saying? A Dwarf and an Elf. It's an unlikely match. I just don't know what to think anymore. Because, I am in love with a Dwarf. But...does he love me?

Aerlinniel POV

"What's your idea?" Elarinya asks me.

I'm about to answer her when someone knocks on the door.

"Come in." Elarinya calls out.

I hear a familiar heartbeat walk into the room.

"Faelwen!" I exclaim as I turn around.

"Aerlinniel!" She says and then hugs me. "I have missed you so much, mellon nîn."

"I have missed you also. Faelwen, I would like for you to meet Bilbo. Bilbo, this is my friend, Faelwen."