Star-Crossed

Chapter 79

Sixty Years Later

The sound of the horse hooves on the cobblestone echoed in her ears. She waited until the carriage pulled to a stop to rise. Dwalin took her hand, carefully helping her to step down onto the bricks below. 

"My lady." 

"Fili." She kissed his cheek. "Did your brother join you?"

"Yes, he and Tauriel both." 

"Lovely." She paused. "He can't go." 

"Oh agreed. He's far too old for that now." Beuren smiled. "They're right this way." She took Dwalin's arm, allowing he and Fili to lead her through the streets of Rivendell. 

"Beuren, how lovely of you to join us." Gandalf greeted. 

"We've been expecting you." Elrond's voice sounded behind her. 

"I hope we didn't keep you." Dwalin said, leading Beuren to an empty chair. "She insisted on taking the scenic route." Beuren sucked her teeth, batting at his arm with the back of her hand.
"Not at all." She could hear Elrond's smile. "In fact, you made it just in time, the others should be here any mo-"

"Papa?" Dwalin turned, smiling back at the raven haired archer. Her grin was wide, reaching all the way to her sapphire irises. 

"Come here, darling." She ran to him, wrapping her arms about him like she had when she was a wee dwarfling. 

"Gilthoniel." Beuren smiled, opening her arms to her daughter. 

"Ma." Gilthoniel wrapped her mother in a tight embrace. 

Gilthoniel Oakenshield was one of the fairest beings to grace Middle Earth. Long raven hair was twisted into a delicate elven braid. Bright blue eyes watched everyone attentively. It was her smile though, that really crushed Dwalin's heart. She smiled her father's smile, one that always reached her eyes and lit up even the darkest caverns. She took much after her mother, beardless and thinly built, but she was every part her father that she could be. 

Fili rose to his feet, smiling down at his young cousin. She greeted him with a smile, hugging him before being swept off her feet by a suddenly spry Kili. He spun her about, planing a kiss on each cheek before setting her on her feet. Tauriel greeted her in true elven fashion before stooping to accept an embrace. 

"She looks just like him. But she fights like you." A quiet voice muttered in Beuren's ear.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means she uses everything, sword, axe, branch, stone...I saw her beat a man with a horseshoe the other day." Beuren snorted, hiding her laughter in hands. 

"Oh, she definitely learned that from you." Dwalin teased at his wife, offering his hand to the Ranger. "It's a pleasure to see you again, lad."

"You as well." Beuren hugged Aragorn close. "I missed you too." 

"Am I getting a hug?" 

"Oh, get over here Legolas!" 

"Gloin!" Dwalin boomed. "It's been long old friend!" They embraced. 

"Long indeed." He turned, motioning to the dwarf beside him. 

"This is my boy-"

"Gimli?" 

"Milady?" A gruff voice responded. 

"Oh it's been so long! You were but a wee lad when I met you last!" He looked confused. "You probably don't even remember me, I was much younger then! You were at the market and-"