for all the gold || hobbit {completed}

chapter six - rowdy times at rivendell

This elf, Lord Elrond, made some excuses in the Common Tongue and waved us away, before he, the wizard and a reluctant Oakenshield moved off to another part of the elvish city. The rest of us were rather escorted up various winding staircases to a full suite of guest rooms by the Lindir elf, who seemed pained to have been left behind with us.

"If you need anything," he said, stiffly, being mostly ignored by the excited company. "You only have to ask."

Throwing my bedroll and shield down onto the nearest bed I could reach, I slumped myself down onto it, before almost falling off of it in shock. Of course, the bed was larger than what I was used to, what with this being an elvish kingdom and elves being renowned for their height. But I hadn't expected just how gloriously comfortable it would be. Or how fine the covers were. Or how soft the pillows were beneath my fingers. Truthfully, I was used more to the ground beneath and my cloak for cover. This was a luxury beyond even my wildest dreams at Ered Luin.

The other dwarves - being, of course, a little more refined than me - were less taken aback with the beds and were taken more with the various ornaments and pieces of furniture set about the room. The Durin brothers were peering closely at a carved table. Nori was handling some round ornament. His little brother, Ori, meanwhile, was gazing in wonder out of one of the room's many windows.

From the crashes and loud cheers in the other rooms, the other dwarves were having just as much fun exploring as these were. Meanwhile, the Lindir elf stood at the door, barely able to conceal his frustration.

"Well," he said. "Do you have any questions?"

"You said we were going to get food," Nori piped up, dumping the ornament unceremoniously back down where he had found it as the others accompanied him in a chorus of moans.

"Yes," the frustrated elf said through gritted teeth. "You will have food. At dinner. Which will not be for another hour yet. Please put that down!" he all but shrieked at Fili and Kili, who were in the process of lifting up the table.

"It's just a table," Kili said, but the elf would hear none of it.

"It's almost a thousand years old!" he exclaimed. The lads looked at each other, shrugged and set it back down. 

"What food will be served at dinner?" Dori asked, entering our corner of the suite with his clothes already folded neatly over his arms. "And should we dress for the occasion?" 

The elf seemed taken aback by this question.

"You do not have to," he said eventually. "But it would be appreciated if you did so." He kept his face stoic, but the small wrinkling of his nose suggested that the scent of troll was still fresh amongst us. "I could have baths sent up for you all."

Before the others could respond, a loud shout came up from where Kili was standing by the window.

"Sweet!" he cried. "You have a water slide?"

"A water slide?" The worried elf hurried over to the window. "We don't have a water slide- That isn't a water slide," he said, wearily. "That is a fountain. It is an ornamental piece, built three hundred years ago by-"

"But... we can swim in it?" said Fili, peering down beside his brother and the elf.

"No, you cannot," Lindir said. "It is a garden feature. A place for quiet contemplation and reflection. It is certainly not a thing to swim in or bathe in for that matter!" 

"But it isn't a thousand years old," Kili continued.

"Three hundred years- that's not too old. That could be a good lifetime for a dwarf," Fili added, helpfully. The elf only spluttered. "I'm sure we wouldn't damage it that much."