An Unexpected Destiny

Help From an Elf

Arleon's hooves silently and gracefully hit the ground as Luthien rode on his back. She was on her way to visit the quiet and peaceful Shire once again where she had lived a year of her life. The sun shone brightly through the trees alongside the path. A slight breeze rustled the green leaves of the trees. 

Luthien softly pressed her heels into Arleon's sides urging him into a trot to finish off her long journey. Suddenly she heard the leaves rustling and the sounds of hooves no bigger than a pony's coming from the brush and trees to either side of the path. Cautiously Luthien halted Arleon and grabbed her bow whilst nocking an arrow on the string holding it ready to fire as she sat in silence trying to trace where the sounds exactly came from with her acute elven senses of sight, hearing, and smell. 

Suddenly the creatures hiding came out and Luthien automatically snapped her bow up pulling the string, ready to fire. The creatures then revealed themselves as a large wizard dressed in long gray robes that Luthien automatically recognized as Gandalf the Grey and a group of dwarves. Looking disgusted down at the dwarves Luthien returned her arrow to the quiver on her back and the bow to its usual resting spot on her shoulders. She grabbed the reins and started to navigate him around the group when Gandalf stopped her saying,"Where are you going, Luthien Greenleaf, daughter of Thranduil and Princess of Mirkwood?"

It had been years since Luthien had been called anything but her first name. Ever since she had been separated from her father, brother, and home she had always gone by the only name in which people would know and was safe from the orcs and darkness. 

Sighing she stopped, taking a deep breath before replying,"To the village up ahead to visit the family of hobbits in which I stayed with for a year while passing through. Now if you'll excuse me I have places to be where short, despicable dwarves are nonexistent."

The dwarves glared up at her clearly offended as she returned the expression. Her father had always taught her to be wary of dwarves and she held her father's advice close to her heart.

"You shall offer this dwarves respect for they are none other than Thorin Oakenshield, king under the mountain, and his company on the journey to reclaim their home."

"Pah! There is no king under the mountain. That pathetic excuse of a king," she pointed directly at a dwarf with long raven black hair and beard and who was adorned in fur and armor standing straighter than the rest glaring at him before continuing,"has no place in the mountain. Not anymore for as I'm sure that if weren't living under a rock these past years would know that the serpent of the north Smaug has taken it. No one would dare set foot inside or near the Lonely Mountain."

The dwarf then stormed up to her bellowing,"I am the rightful king under the mountain by blood. Though I'm sure you stupid elf filth wouldn't understand."

Luthien obviously offended snatched her dagger and held it at dwarf's neck grabbing and lifting him up by the collar as she leaned down and threatened to his face,"I am the Luthien Greenleaf Thranduilion, daughter of King Thranduil of Mirkwood, sister of Legolas, daughter of the Mirkwood and I swear that I would slice your throat if Gandalf was not presents."

She then threw him at the ground, causing him to stumble backwards in order to regain his balance as she returned the dagger, grabbed her reins, and started to move Arleon with an aggressive, annoyed expression on her face. 

Gandalf then boomed at her,"You will not leave yet!"

She halted glaring at the wizard. 

He then continued,"We need your assistance."

"Why would I help the race in which my father always told me to be wary of and not associate with?"

"Because as you know the path from here to the Lonely Mountain is through the Mirkwood. The realm in which you call home and in which holds your family and all you hold dear."

Luthien paused looking down at Arleon's neck in thought before looking up at the bright blue sky.

If I do this I could finally return to my people. My father and my brother, she thought to herself.

She then turned to look and Gandalf replying,"I'll make a deal with you. If as soon as we encounter the Mirkwood I may return to my people, then I will help and protect the company."

"Of course, Luthien. I will accept that offer if Thorin will."

Everyone then turned to look at Thorin as he said,"The less time with the elf, the better."

"Then it is settled. Luthien is now a part of our company," Gandalf then turned to Luthien saying,"first you will join me in retrieving our burglar."

---

On the way to the house of their burglar, Bilbo Baggins, Luthien stopped by the house in which she had lived in for a year and tied Arleon to the fence of her temporary home.

After a great many embraces Luthien continued on with Gandalf to their destination. They arrived to a small hobbit with light, curly auburn hair sitting on a bench outside the door smoking a pipe. 

Luthien and Gandalf entered the small garden through the gate closing it behind them. Squinting the hobbit looked up at the elf and wizard looking down at them saying,"Good morning."

Gandalf replied saying,"What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or, perhaps you mean to say that you feeling good on this particular morning. Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?"

"All of them at once, I suppose," Bilbo replied looking confused.

Luthien raised a brow smirking slightly while chuckling quietly to herself as Gandalf held a slightly disapproving expression.

"Can I help you?"

"That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

"Well it appears you already have someone to share this adventure as you call it with."

Luthien replied saying,"I do not count in his eyes for I shall not be sharing his adventure for the entire extent of the journey."

Bilbo looked up at her fascinated by the fact that an elf was speaking to before saying," Of course, but an adventure? Now, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner, hmm, mm."

Bilbo then stood up and walked over to his mailbox checking the mail clearly on edge that we were still their.

Quickly Luthien said," Now not all adventures are as you say. Some may be simply walking across town."

"I guess."

He then went back to his mail and starting to return inside before turning to Gandalf and Luthien saying,"Good morning."

Gandalf then replied,"To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took's son, as if I were selling buttons at the door."

"Beg your pardon?"

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins."

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"Well, you know my name, although you don't remember I belong to it. I'm Gandalf! And Gandalf means...me."

"Gandalf...not Gandalf, the wandering wizard, who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve. Ha, ha! Well. Hm, I had no idea you were still in business."

Luthien raised her brown looking at Gandalf as he replied," And where else should I be?"

"Ha, ha! Hmm...,"Bilbo puffed on his pipe still confused.

"Well, I'm pleased you remember something about me, even if it's only my fireworks. Well that's decided. It will be very good, and most amusing for Luthien and myself. I shall inform the others."

"Inform the who? What? No. No. No! Wait. We do not want adventures here, thank you. Not today, not mm. I suggest you try over the hill or across the Water. Thank you!"

He then turned quickly to retreat in his home under the hill. Luthien waited as Gandalf etched the sign of the company into Bilbo's door with his staff before they both hurried off to tell the company.