A True Halfling

I don't belong...

After training for a few hours, Faelwen returned to her room. She took off her clothing, and donned a dark gown with a small honey-coloured rope wrapped around the waist, with black trousers. She pulled her boots off, and put on a pair of dark flats. Lastly, she donned a silver circlet with a single sapphire in the middle.

She went to the nearest river, and sat upon the banks of the river. She took a deep breath before she started to sing. It was soft and low, at first. Her voice raising in tone every now and then, almost as if she was telling a story through song.

A gust of wind blew down river, carrying her voice with it. Her voice seemingly echoed through out Rivendell, reaching the ears of its people and guests. Elrond and his guest were at supper, when Faelwen's voice reached their ears.

Elrond's face remained neutral, as the others had a look of awe on their faces.

"W-where is that coming from?" Bilbo asked.

"That, my dear friend," Elrond said, grabbing his drinking chalice. "Is coming from Faelwen."

"She sounds sad." Ori said.

"That she is, master dwarf. With good reason. I hadn't realized it was that time of season." Gandalf said, leaning back in his chair.

Bilbo frowned. He hated that his friend was sad. After he was done eating, Bilbo went to find Faelwen. He found her sitting beside a river, gazing into the water.

"I was happy once."

"Faelwen..."

"I used to have a family. A mother, a father. Probably would've had siblings." Faelwen said with a shrug.

"Why don't you?" Bilbo asked, cautiously.

In all the time they had known each other, Faelwen hardly mentioned her family.

"My mother died when our home was attacked. My father was killed by orcs."

Bilbo's mouth opened and closed a few times before he asked something else.

"What did they look like?"

Faelwen stared longingly into the water for a moment, before turning to look at Bilbo. A look of remembrance in her eyes.

"As you know, my father was a dwarf. He was about the height I am now, if not a little taller. His hair and beard were as dark as a starless night. Eyes sparkling like that of freshly cut sapphires..."

"What about your mother?"

"An elf of great beauty. Hair that shined like the purest starlight. Eyes so light, you could've sworn that they were made of liquid silver. She would even outshine gems made of starlight. I suppose that's what drew my father to her."

Faelwen stood up, brushing off any grass that lingered. The two friends joined arms, and walked.

"They disliked each other at first. Typical elf vs dwarf dilemma."

"What changed?"

"My mother had an argument with her father, and ran away. Knowing this could make him have an edge over the elves, my father volunteered to go after her. He found her walking along a dried up river bed. He told me when he found her, the sun was beginning to set.

He called put to her, and the moment she looked at him, the sun illuminated her from behind. He described her as the rarest jewel in all of middle earth. He knew right then, that he had to have her."

For the first time since she was a child, Faelwen didn't feel intense pain. She felt....happy talking about her parents. Her other family....that's a story for another day.