Ella lead the dwarves through the narrow gap in the cavern while behind her the Company groaned as they pushed and squeezed through the twisting cliffs, each step becoming more and more strenuous. The walls started to get wetter as they progressed, adding to their distaste.

"Gandalf, where are we going?" The hobbit asked the wizardry, hoping this gruesome march would yield a reward as the hairs on his feet started to tingle in uneasy anticipation.

"You can feel it?" The wizard asked, looking oddly happy.

"Yes. It feels like - well, like magic."

"That's exactly what it is. A very powerful magic."

"There is light ahead!"

They turned to Ella's voice, seeing her run off farther ahead. The dwarves, eager to see what she saw, managed to push through the final stretch of the pathway. They would have kept running out too, if Thorin, standing behind Ella, hadn't stopped them. They were at the very end of a ridge, in front of them a hidden valley.

They all stared in heavenly disbelief at the sight before him. Before them lay a beautiful scenery: a castle with many tops and towers and bridges and gazebos sat atop never ending waterfalls that fell into the streaming river below. Perhaps the orcs had slain them, and they'd ascended all together.

"The Valley of Imraldis." Gandalf introduced. "In the Common Tongue, it's known by another name."

"Rivendell." Bilbo managed to squeak in the majesty of the view before him.

Ellie gleamed as if she'd found gold, and skipped down the path to reach the castle, an amazed Bilbo behind her. The dwarves, on the other hand, became extremely displeased.

"Here lies the last homely house east of the sea." Gandalf spoke as the company walked around him.

Thorin wheeled around and glared at Gandalf, waiting for him to walk together.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." The king dwarf glowered.

"You'll find no enemies here."

Down the path and over the bridges they marched, to the music of elf songs as sweet as laughter. None but Ella and Gandalf understood a word of the songs, except when they recognized their own names. The girl and the wizard found it hilarious to listen to the songs and watch the rest of the company wonder in confusion why their names were said.

The Company finally entered the main courtyard of Rivendell. The entire place seemed to be suspended in an eternal state of tranquility, with golden sunshine surrounding them and the peaceful melody of the waterfalls in front of them. Bilbo couldn't look enough, awed by Rivendell's majesty.

Their wait was ended when a dark-haired elf came down the flight of stairs ahead. He gave Gandalf a courteous smile, as if old friends.

The wizard and the elf talked some in elvish and the dwarves and company stood bored out of their minds when suddenly a stampede arose behind them. Thorin called attention and they all stood back to back, weapons drawn, as Elrond and his horsemen circled their guests.

Lord Elrond jumped off his horse and greeted his friend the wizard. They exchanged dialogue in the Elf's language, and the elf lord welcomed the dwarf king and his company into the last homely house. Elrond turned and escorted the aged wizard upstairs, but he had only taken one step when he faltered and quickly turned around as if he'd missed seeing a ghost.

"Something the matter, m'lord?" Gandalf queried in concern.

The stately lord fixed himself and smiled at his stunned guests as he resumed walking.

<"That girl.>" Elrond began in elvish.

"<You know her?>"

"<Do you?>" Elrond asked.

"<It's fair to say she herself knows not of herself. We came across her in our travels.>"

"<And where is it that you're traveling to, if I may ask?>"

The wizard avoided the question with a laugh.

"<All in good time, old friend. All in good time.">

The dwarves accompanied their elvish hosts for dinner, and sat quite miserably so with the lack of any meat or festive music. The rest of the company sat complaining in their own little table while their king joined the elf lord on his table.

"This is Orcrist," Elrond informed Thorin, his tone infused with utmost interest. "The Goblin Cleaver. A famous blade, forged by the High Elves of the West. My kin. May it serve you well."

After returning Thorin's esteemed sword back to him, Elrond took interest in the wizard's weapon of choice: Glamdring, the Foe-hammer.

Below them on the company's table, the hobbit listened in on their discussion and took out his own small sword underneath the table. His sly act was not missed by Balin, who gave him a pitying smile.

"I wouldn't bother, laddie. Swords are named for the great deeds they do in war."

"What are you saying, my sword hasn't seen battle?"
    
"I'm not actually sure it is a sword; more of a letter opener, really."

Down along the table, Ellie sat cross legged in her space, eyes closed as she enjoyed the elf music, much contrary to her friends. Her sharp elf ears picked up their aversion to the music in between the harps and the flutes, and a memory came to her.

Meanwhile, Thorin found himself completely perturbed by Elrond's endless questions and excused himself from dinner, leaving his host and the wizard to talk after him.

Ellie opened her eyes and stood, walking over to the musicians. She tapped the nearest flute playing ellith and got her attention in perfect elvish.

"<I do beg your pardon, would you be bothered too much if I borrowed your flute for a moment?>"

All around her fell silent upon hearing this possible dwarf girl speak perfect elvish. The flutist took a minute to react, then smiled and offered her instrument.

The company watched as Ellie adjusted herself around the flute, catching Fili's attention the most. He gazed leaning on the table, his head resting in his palm, ignoring his brother's disgust.

"Isn't she perfect? She can fight, she can ride, she can speak elf, and she can play the flute!"

The first note that blew through Ella's flute snapped Lord Elrond's attention her way. Had it been a slightly faster rate, he would have beheaded himself.

"So, you do know her." Gandalf confirmed as he watched the elf lord's astonishment.

"I have not heard that music since long before the war." Elrond breathlessly answered.

"A lover?" Gandalf comically asked.

"I am not the lucky one." He answered quickly and closed his eyes to listen, probably remembering happy times long ago.

Dinner ended and the company relaxed around an open fire out on one of the terraces. The young fellas sat about joking and teasing each other while Thorin and Ellie lurked elsewhere.

The elf-human turned dwarf creature strolled the halls of the homely home. Her hand folded over the walls as every touch seemed to bring back memories. In one particular hall, she found, lain across a clothed pedestal, the shards of the legendary great sword Narsil. Her intrigue overcame her and she reached to touch it as if captured in its stupor. The glamor violently came off the moment she touched the sword, nightmarish visions playing in her mind.

"<Please, find yourself at home.>"

Great! Another thing to startle her.

Ellie turned and curtsied to her host.

"<I beg your pardon, my lord. I was just carelessly wandering.>"

"You seem to know this place." Elrond stated as he strolled around her.

"Perhaps in a past life once." Ellie replied instead to the mural hanging above Narsil, depicting a scene from The War.

Elrond had finally come to stand in front of her and drew her attention as he stood looming above her.

"<This is not your true form.>" He inquired as he grabbed her shoulders.

"<It is not.>" She scooped the dream catcher in her palm and showed it to the elf lord.

"<Gandalf gave it to me before I met the rest of the company. They don't seem too fond of elves.>"

Elrond smiled, both at her joke and the confirmation of her real identity.

"You could tell!" Ella whispered in surprise after they'd settled.

"Tell what?"

"You know who I am!"

Elrond smiled at her and folded his hands back.

"Maybe," He leaned forward to answer her.

"You won't tell me, will you?"

Elrond stood up straight and made to leave.

"It is not my place, my friend. It's a journey you must go alone. Or at the least in the company of dwarves. I hope you find yourself soon..." he was quite a distance from her when he finished his sentence

"... for there's someone I know who desperately awaits your return."