The Kings Jewell, The Queens heart (ON HOLD)

Chapter 8 Maps and runes

Third pov

After Lindir grillling her for as many details as possible and a very much failed dinner, Thorin, Balin, Bilbo and Raven followed Gandalf and Lord Elrond.

Raven had been to Rivendell before. But that was long ago and her memory doesn't do it justice.

"Our buisness is no concern of elves."

Raven personally felt that Gandalf didn't have the right to look as annoyed as he did.

"For goodness sake, Thorin, show him the map."

Thorin stood his ground. "It's the legacy of my people. It is mine to protect, as are it's secrets."

"Save me from the stubborness of dwarves. Your pride will be your downfall-"

Raven held one hand up, an irritated glare fixed on Gandalf. "Thorin, i understand perfectly well why you do not want to show Lord Elrond, but even if Gandalf is going about this the completely wrong way, he is right that we have no choice in this. You won't find someone else to help us." She turned her head to Thorin while saying the last bit.

Thorin shared her look, something unreadable in his eyes, then he took the map out despite Balin's protests and he handed it to Elrond.

The elven lord read the name on it. "Erebor. What is your interest in this map?"

Raven, without caring for Gandalf's displeasure of being interrupted, answered. "Our interest is neither your concern nor your buisness. Are you willing to read it or not?"

Elrond looked at the map, pointing it a bit in the moonlight. He said something in elvish that Gandalf caught.

"Moon runes? Of course." The Wizard saw Bilbo's confused look. "An easy thing to miss."

"In this case, that is true. Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon of the same shape and season as the day of which they were written." Elrond had turned back to them as he spoke. But instead of just looking at Thorin, he looked at Raven as well.

Thorin asked. "Can you read them?"

**********************

Lord Elrond took them to a magnificent waterfall, and a crystal like podium under it.

"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly 200 years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield. The same moon shines upon us tonight."

While they stood by the map Raven stayed back a bit behind Bilbo, unconsciously soaking in the magic the moon brings. Dragons might be made of fire but they have a love for the night as well.

After all that is when fire burns the brightest.

What the young queen missed however was Bilbo's wide eyed look once he caught her eyes shimmer in silver.

He didn't say anything about it, opting to keep it to himself for the moment.

Instead he did his best to keep up with the talk about Durin's Day.

The group actually forgot for the moment that she was there until Elrond asked. "So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain?"

"What of it?" Raven and Thorin spoke at the same time and Lord Elrond was faced with identical looks that screamed Try to stop us, i dare you!

"There are some that would not deem it wise." He held out the map for Thorin to take.

Gandalf looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"You are not the only guardian standing watch over Middle-earth."

While Lord Elrond led Gandalf away Balin took a look at Thorin and Raven before taking a confused Bilbo back to the others.

That left the two exiled rulers standing together.

Raven sighed and pressed gently at her wrapped injuries. They still hurt but not as much. When she looks up again Thorin has put the map away.

"How do you know the elf we met earlier?"

She can't judge if it's suspicion in his voice or not, but she decided to be honest. "He's an old friend. From my childhood."

His eyes narrow. "How do you know an elf?"

"I'm older than you think Thorin. My father wasn't the only long lived parent i had." She doesn't mean to tell him the last part but for some reason the tone he used made her irritated in way she couldn't really understand.

He relaxes a bit. "How.. How are your injuries?"

She shrugges. "They hurt. But i can breathe easy. Besides, I've had worse." She says absentmindedly, mind briefly going to the first years she learned to live alone. She'd still been a child and children can be clumsy when alone.

Thorin studies her when she seems to slip into a memory. He.... He can't say why he doesn't like the thought of her knowing the elves, or the thought of her having been injured worse. He doesn't understand it. But there is something about her that found... endearing.

The two of them went back to the others in silence.

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