Daughter of The Darkness

Chapter 11

Elfreda felt ill. This is why she hated being locked up. The room was large and airy but the windows were locked and so was the door. She had given up on shouting and banging. Elfreda lay on the marshmallow like bed; after years of lying on the grass and heard rock, she felt as if she was sinking to the floor. The young woman let out a yell of anger. She knew she was wrong to hate Elrond after all he had done to hide her, but she did- he knew as well as anyone she was as wild as the land she was raised from.

A knock came from the door. Elfreda ignored it. This time from behind the door came a jangling of keys. The guard must be opening it for Elrond. Elfreda rolled stomach first, hiding her face under a pillow.
"Don't be such a child, Mellon!" said a familiar voice. It was Lindir.

Elfreda rolled and sat up on the bed, crossing her legs with her arms folded. She looked very out of place, she was unclean and everything else in the room was. Lindir gracefully walked over to her and held out a present wrapped in cloth.

"I saved it from the kitchens, it still should be warm," he chuckled. Elfreda took the parcel gladly, opening it up to the smell of fresh golden bread. She teared off the end and nibbled at it like a mouse whilst she listened to Lindir explain why Elrond had taken such extreme precautions. She listened as he told her why the elf lord could not be here because he and some elven knights were covering the area to find out where the wargs had came from. Elfreda trusted Lindir with anything, they had known each other for at least hundred years, telling stories and laughing. She put the bread down in her lap and smiled at her companion. Lindir's ear were twitching, something was up. Elfreda listened too, she also had the extreme senses of an elf.

"Do you hear that?" he asked. She nodded with a brisk laugh. She knew who they were, anyone could hear them from miles off and she knew each of their individual voices.

"Dwarves!" she clarified. There was a small window above her bed. Both she and Lindir peered out of it seeing the thirteen dwarves, one halfling and the wizard, talking and complaining about arriving here because Gandalf had surprised them. The only one who did not seem disappointed was Bilbo, he seemed quite happy to finally meet some people who knew how to be clean.

Lindir stood up and began to walk out of the room. Elfreda stood too, thanking him for his company. She stopped him before he left, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Go easy on them, Lindir, they have traveled far and need shelter." she expressed. Lindir nodded.

"How you know about the ways of the world, confuse me, Mellon," he replied "I will not get the guards to lock the door again, you are free to walk around Rivendell, to do as you please- Elrond meant you no offence" Elfreda nodded and thanked him again, this time allowing him to leave. The door shut again, but not locking like Lindir had promised. Elfreda turned from the shut door, twirling around, her bare feet sliding across the floor.

The dwarves piled in along the small bridge to get through the main entrance of Rivendell. Bilbo looked around in awe, it was truly beautiful. They whispered among themselves for a while when Lindir walked down the front steps. He greeted Gandalf with open arms. Gandalf responded with the same respect. However Thorin whispered something to Dwalin, they both snickered.

From her window, Elfreda scowled. She hated it when others mocked another race, but when they mocked her friends, she was livid.

"My Lord Elrond is not here," Lindir said. Gandalf looked around just as the same elvish horns rang out through the valley. All the people in the courtyard turned to see a mass of twenty horses and elvish riders trotted up the bridge.

All the dwarves clumped together, in their defence formation. Bofur pulled Bilbo into the middle of the group, he had become quite fond of the hobbit. The elves circled them, looking down on them with blank eyes. The dwarves grunted and moaned as they knew they could do nothing to escape the elves. Their leader, Elrond turned his horse to face Gandalf. They spoke in elvish to one another about the warg attack but concealing the act that Elrond had arrested Elfreda.

"Strange or orcs to come so close to our borders!" the elf lord mentioned. Elrond turned to look at the company. He greeted Thorin as he would any king. They talked about Thorin's grandfather ,Thòr when he ruled Erebor. Once again Elrond addressed the company in elvish, the dwarves look confused and angry.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult!?" shouted Gloin. The other dwarves shouted too. Gandalf laughed at his foolish companions

"No Mr Gloin, he is offering you food!" the grey wizard laughed, he emphasized the word food. Gloin and the rest o the dwarves huddled together and whispered to each other then Gloin said in a calmed tone

"In that case, lead on," Elrond did so the dwarves following him like the Pied Piper.