"Aldol." Lord Elrond said with a smile as the trio entered into Rivendell and climbed down from their mounts.

"You've been waiting for us?" Gandalf asked.

"Indeed." Elrond responded. "I received word this morning that you three were seen heading for the valley, no doubt weary from your travels." They followed him past the gates and into the elven city, where two other elves took their horses to the stables for them.

"A place to rest for a few nights would be greatly appreciated, yes." Agarwaen smiled politely.

"How about we all talk over supper, hm? I've heard of the battle that transpired at the mountain, but I would delight in hearing of it from those who were actually there."

The four then gathered on the garden pavilion, the same one that Agarwaen first met the dwarves on, and were fed well while telling Lord Elrond of the quest and the war.

"And they all lived?" The elf lord said more as a statement than a question.

"All thanks to Agarwaen, yes." Gandalf nodded.

"It was very noble of you to be willing to give your life for those who have mistreated you so."

"If I've learned anything, it...it's that dwarves can be extremely suspicious, secretive, and slow to trust. It's just a part of them, and sometimes they have to be that way because of how their kind is treated by others. But...once you earn their trust, and you prove yourself a friend, they're loyal to a fault and they love their friends and family so fiercely, that it's...it's quite honestly an honor to be considered their friend and I can ask nothing more of them." Agarwaen replied, missing the company even more now. Elrond nodded, thinking over her words.

"And you, master hobbit, what have you gained from this venture?" He asked.

"O-oh, me? Well...I suppose it's something of...uncovering parts inside me that I had no idea were there." Bilbo began. "I-I found courage, bravery beyond measure, and I found a longing for adventure. I think I've had my fill for now, however. A quest like this was enough to last several lifetimes, but...I'm glad I came. And I do not regret it one bit, not at all, no. I also found friends. The most unlikely, strange, boisterous, happy, and loyal bunch I'll ever know." He looked to Agarwaen with a smile. "And I would not trade this past year for anything in the world."

They talked there on the pavilion until night fell, and then separated to go to the rooms they'd been given, all except for Agarwaen at least. She left merely to stand on a balcony, overlooking the elven city that was illuminated by moonlight.

"Agarwaen." She heard Lord Elrond call from behind her. She turned to look at him and nodded in greeting. "You wish to speak to me, alone?" He had felt her need for answered questions since the moment she arrived, but felt they were personal questions so he waited until later to see her about it.

"Yes." She responded as he motioned for her to follow him, glad that he'd picked up on her emotions.

"You feel torn in two separate directions." He said as they sat at a small table.

"You've looked into my future, I know you have." Agarwaen began, straight to the point. "What did you see?" Elrond lowered his head but did not break eye contact with her.

"You know it is unwise for me to say."

"I need to know."

"Nothing is set in stone. What I have seen may never come, and for one to know what their own future holds..."

"Forgive me for saying such, but be vague. Speak in riddles for all I care, I just need to know where to go."

"You already know where to go."

"Do I? I have a quest of my own right now, but after that? What will I do?"

"What do you think you should do?"

"I don't know, that is why I ask you."

"Well, ask yourself why you are torn."

"Because one way is to pursue what is unheard of, and the other is to condemn myself to a life lived alone. I know I do not belong anywhere, but I do not know where I should not-belong at."

"You will find belonging." Elrond sighed. "I have seen it. It will not be easy nor without trials to overcome, but you will find it."

"Where?"

"That I do not know. Where do you long to go that is unheard of, Agarwaen? Do you speak of a life among dwarves?" Agarwaen nodded silently.

"I could barely bring myself to leave. I love them all very much." Elond was quiet, waiting for her to speak again. "Can you see if I sail to Valinor in the future?"

"Why do you wish to know that?" His eyes narrowed. Agarwaen pursed her lips, wondering how she should answer.

"Because if I go back...surely I would set sail after the passing of the mortal that I love?"

"The mortal that you love?" Elrond's eyebrows raised.

"There's no sense in hiding it from you, I suppose." She sighed.

"A man from Esgaroth?" He tried, hoping it wasn't a dwarf that she spoke of. When she shook her head, he had to forcefully hold back a sigh.

"This is why I am torn, my lord. If it were a man, I would have no qualms with returning." Elrond rubbed his forehead.

"Which one?" She hesitated before answering.

"The king."

"The to-be king? The blond prince?" He tried, desperately hoping that it was not the current king she spoke of.

"No, Thorin Oakenshield." Elrond wasn't sure what to think, to do, or say. He was quiet for a long while, and Agarwaen was beginning to worry.

"I cannot go back. I will try to find purpose in the wilds once I am finished with my mission to get rid of the Arkenstone, but if I cannot, I will sail, for this world has nothing more to offer me."

"The Arkenstone?"

"Thorin gave it to me with an order to get rid of it somewhere so that it will not be able to corrupt the hearts of the dwarves any longer."

"And where do you plan on disposing of it, then?"

"I do not yet know." She replied, and silence fell yet again, annoying her. She simply wanted to know what becomes of her in the future, and they'd gotten off-topic.

"You do not sail." Elrond finally said, and Agarwaen's head jerked up to look at him.

"Then surely that means I do not return, for I do not know how I could go on after he passes into the halls of his fathers."

"There are several things that can prompt an elf not to sail even after the passing of that who she loves."

"Like what?"

"Responsibilities, promises, unfinished business."

"Surely those will not last the lifetime of an elf. Even one that will meet her end with death."

"The end of your future that I can see is war."

"Does that mean I will die in battle?"

"I do not know for sure, for that time is shrouded to me. But my point is...if belonging is what you seek, then know that you will achieve it. How, is for you to find out on your own." Agarwaen nodded, still unsure as to what path to take, but at least she knew she would find her place and die honorably. Maybe months from now, years, decades, or centuries, but death in battle was something she'd always assumed would find her anyway.

"Thank you, my lord."

"I must ask you one more thing, Agarwaen." He spoke. "Are you sure that what you want is what he wants as well?" A new doubt began spreading through her. Maybe Thorin would come to his senses in her absence, and when she returns, he will no longer have interest in her.

"If I return and he no longer wishes to be with me, I will accept that. It is not solely him that I feel I belong with. As I said before, I love all of them dearly. They are my friends and I never felt like I belonged somewhere as much as I did when I was with them." Elrond smiled slightly, pleased with her answer. No love was as true as a love like she held for the dwarves. "And, anyway, I've made a promise." She pulled Thorin's ring out from behind her shirt. "I promised I would never forget them, and what better way to do that than to live among them?"

"How did you come by that ring?" Elrond asked, his smile now gone as he recognized it as the one Oakenshield wore.

"Thorin gave it to me before I left as a reminder of that promise. It was his fathers, and his fathers before him."

"And the dwarf did not explain to you the meaning behind such a gift?"

"Well, it was for my promise..." Agarwaen was growing confused. It was just to remember them by, right?

"For a dwarf to give someone something of importance, like a family heirloom or something else of great significance, is an invitation for courtship." Agarwaen's eyes widened as she dropped the ring, causing it to thump against her chest. "If the receiver of the gift in turn gives the giver something of importance back, he or she is accepting the invitation and the two may then wear courting braids to proclaim that they are spoken for."

"O-oh." Agarwaen was quite taken aback by this. She looked back down to the ring that hung about her neck and swallowed hard. Surely that couldn't be right. Maybe he didn't give it to her with that intention at all. Maybe it was just as he said: a promise.

Elrond, despite his initial shock, now watched amusedly as Agarwaen tried to process this information.

"Is there anything else you wished to ask me?" He asked after a while. She then looked up as if she had forgotten he was sitting there.

"I, um, n-no. Thank you, my lord." She stammered before he stood with a nod and a small smile.

"Then rest well, Agarwaen. There is someone I'd like you to meet tomorrow, and Moriel is rather upset that she missed you last time you were here." Agarwaen nodded with a hum, but didn't move from her seat as Elrond left, still lost in thought and shock.

Aldol- Greetings