The elleth from under the mountain

A passage in time

Ontario's P.O.V

Things had undoubtedly been strange between Thórin and I since that night underneath that age old oak tree, a few weeks past.

We did not speak of it, a silent agreement between us. It was nobody's business but our own. It wasn't exactly something that you screamed from the rooftops. It was something we had to figure out for ourselves.

An elf and a dwarf? It was unheard of, and no doubt frowned upon. The only person who had an inkling of what was brewing beneath the surface was Fili. He had been the one to explain the meaning of braiding ones hair and the gifting of a hair bead.

The beautifully crafted metal, lay hidden in a thick braid that flowed down my back. Something that did not go unnoticed by Thórin.

We avoided each other during the day, choosing to walk at seperate ends of the company.

Stolen glances over a campfire at night , that spoke a thousand words, his dark eyes boring into me. They made me feel as though he could see past my walls, breaking me down piece by piece.

The nights were the hardest.

Sleep permanently evading me.

I stared into the dark night sky, praying to the Eru for guidance. To somehow show me which path to take.

A whisp of a conversation crossed my mind, the words sticking to my mind.

"Nin meld, we all have our chosen paths laid out before us. Some of us have more twists, turns, and bumps on our road to finding ourselves than others. It is these trepidation's that meld us into the beings we turn into,".

This was no doubt one of the unexpected twists and turns of life, that Lord Elrond had foretold  so many years ago.

It was ultimately up to me to decide which path to take, no one could choose it for me no matter how much I wished.

"Oi Ontario!" Dwalin yelled, I perked up at the sound of my name. Sitting up from my position on Lukaine's back; having previously been stretched out like a cat basking in the afternoon light.

He waved me over.

Swinging a leg over, I dropped onto the ground, passing a nearby Kili the reins. Which he tried to refuse. "Think of it this way, who would you prefer to kick you, me or him?" I asked pointing at Lukaine, he smirked devilishly, "You never know... I might enjoy a bit of pain coming from you," he winked.

I sighed heavily, by the Eru give me strength. "Just remember who I'm about to speak with," I threatened, his eyes widened as he swallowed nervously making himself scarce as Dwalin came to a stop beside me.

"That boy" he shook his head, "Your telling me," I agreed, I knew since the day he was born he would be nothing but trouble.

We waited until the last of the dwarves were a few metres ahead of us, until they were long out of ear shot before Dwalin produced a small parcel from his satchel.

I narrowed my eyes at him as he passed me the gift. "Just open it," he muttered under his breath. Untying the twine, I pulled back the paper wrapping revealing a purple bar of soap, a small rearing horse carefully carved into the surface.