Wayfarer of dawn

VIII. In which a distraction is needed

Thorin knocked on Rána's door before dawn. And to say he was shocked at how fast the door opened would be an understatement. Rána smiled at the look of shock on Thorin's face and beconed him inside.

"Thorin Oakenshield, to what do I owe this nightly visit?" "He is going to stop us, is he not?" Ah, Gandalf had warned me this question would come. And I must say that Lord Elrond did not look amused when he found out about their purpose.... Rána bemused to herself. "I am afraid he will try, Thorin, therefore we must leave when dawn appears" "We could use the same way out as we came in by" "We need a distraction, Thorin. The council will not be enough." "Why not? We can easily slip away." "You can be as daft as you are stubborn, Thorin, Dwarves make enough noise to wake the dead. Especially compared to Elves." A look of sudden anger crossed Thorin's face and he snarled his next words, "Don't you dare compare me to them!" "Spare me your anger, Thorin Oakenshield, you are right-" her words were dark and deadly cold "we are nothing alike."

Thorin fell silent, and Rána calmed down. "Which is why you need a distraction" she told him. "We wait for the Wizard" "Thorin, you can no longer wait for the Wizard, they are coming." "They? Who are they?" Thorin exclaimed. Rána laughed softly before answering. "Members of a council. They will decide the fate of your quest, the fate of your kin." Thorin snarled angrily before biting out "What kind of distraction do you have in mind?"

Rána swiftly walked into the library, knowing she could find Lindir there. Mellonamin, find it in your heart to forgive me after this, please. "Lindir, do you have time?" Lindir turned his head from where he was seated and motioned for her to sit down. Rána sat down with a soft smile. "Mellonamin, mani naa ta?" "I wanted to ask how Rivendell and its people faired in my absence." Lindir smiled, and guilt hit Rána like an arrow. "We have faired in nothing but peace and prosperity. It was you, and how you faired, I wondered about." "I survived, insulted a few Goblins, killed some Orcs and rode a few Wargs on the way. But I survived." "That is good to hear. I also heard you ended up in the custody of the Gobling King, pray tell, what happened?" Rána laughed. "Word sure travels fast, I was indeed in the custody of the Gobling King. It happened on a treck across the mountains, I needed a place to rest and chose an abandoned cave for that. Not my best plan." Rána admitted with a sheepish smile. "Before I knew it the floor tumbled out from beneath me, it was a clever trap. And after the fall I found myself in Goblin Town, with the Goblin King and his stupid songs. He has a terrible voice might I tell you, I'd rather listen to the screeching of Orcs than him." Lindir visibly shuddered. "Ah, you imagined it" Rána said with a laugh. Lindir smiled and waited for her to continue her stories. And she did, untill the sun was almost sinking beneath the mountains again.

"And I might have yelled 'Auta miqula orqu, Nadorhuan' at him, which led to me being th-" Two guards rushed through the doors in the middle of Rána's sentence, and cried out "The Dwarves! They have gone!" Lindir shot up from his chair, and then looked down at Rána in disbelief. "Lle wethrine amin, mankoi? Mankoi lle uma tanya?" Rána frowned. "Mellonamin, you must understand, the council would have turned out negatively for the Dwarves." "So you betrayed me?" "No, I would never. I distracted you. What would you do, if your home was taken, and the only chance at getting it back was about to be blocked by someone? Please mellonamin, find it in your heart to forgive me." Rána was near tears, Lindir's friendship meant a lot to her. Lindir's face softened, and he sighed. "You are forgiven, mellonamin, I cannot find it in my heart to be angry at you" "Diola lle." And with those words said all the elves left the library, Lindir and the guards to talk to Lord Elrond, and Rána to leave Rivendell.

Rána climbed a top of her horse, Avari, with a sad smile, and after looking back one last time she muttered a soft goodbye and dashed out of Rivendell.