Agarwaen was walking through the halls of Rivendell to try and find Bilbo, when she heard her name called from behind her. Turning around, a smile graced her features as another elf, this one with dark brown hair, ran toward her.

"Moriel!" Agarwaen said happily, placing her fist on her chest with a bow in an elvish greeting. Moriel, however, had other plans. She wrapped Agarwaen in a tight embrace, having missed her friend greatly.

Moriel was her best friend and a member of the scouting parties. In fact, it was her group that had first found Agarwaen near the mountains. Moriel worried for Agarwaen during the time she spent recovering, and the two became fast friends after that.

"I missed you!" Moriel said, slightly upset when she pulled away from the embrace. "I came back home one day, and was told that you'd visited a week ago! You couldn't wait for me to come back?"

"Unfortunately no, I couldn't. I'm sorry, Mori." Agarwaen said sadly. Moriel looked her over, eyes squinted.

"I have a whole list of things to complain to you about, and that scar on your face just added to it." She frowned.

"That scar just happens to be at the end of a very long story."

"I'm quite sure I have time." Moriel raised an eyebrow, and Agarwaen laughed.

"Let's go sit in the gardens. Maybe we'll find Bilbo there too."

"Bilbo?"

"He's a hobbit that has been travelling with me."

"That's another thing," Moriel began as they headed toward the gardens. "I was also told you'd left with a hobbit and a bunch of dwarves!"

"Yes, I did."

"Why on Arda would you travel with dwarves?"

"I would watch what you say, dear friend. I have come to love those dwarves you speak of very much, actually." Moriel's eyebrows knit together in confusion.

'What do you mean you love them very much? They're dwarves! Didn't they try to kill you at all?"

"Yes, several times actually." Agarwaen laughed at the look Moriel gave her. "I'll explain everything."

"I understand that there was a war for the Lonely Mountain. You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?"

"I was on the front lines." Moriel clenched her jaw.

"Why? You could've been killed!" Agarwaen shook her head.

"Just wait for me to tell you everything from the beginning." The two then found a spot at a small stone table, and it took over two hours to fully explain everything, due to Moriel interrupting rather frequently.

"I feel like you're leaving something out." Moriel said when Agarwaen finally finished. "Why would Thorin give you so many things and ask you to come back to stay? His people wouldn't agree with him about that, would they?"

"Well..."

"Dwarves hate us with a passion, Agar. I find it hard to believe that they all care for you as much as you say they do."

"These beads say otherwise." Agarwaen poked the ends of the braids that fell over her shoulder and ended halfway down her chest.

"You never did tell me what they say."

"This one says Moonlit Warrior and this one says Lady of Mithril." Moriel just looked at Agarwaen suspiciously.

"That's awfully specific."

"Thorin made them himself for me while I was recovering from the war."

"I still don't get why you still care for him after what he did to you. Now your face has to look like that for Iluvatar knows how long."

"There's... you wouldn't understand unless you know them. He was under the effects of dragon sickness too, remember?"

"Why do you forgive so easily? He hurt you. Badly."

"Because evil finds footholds in hatred, Mori. Hatred is the reason why the dwarves attacked the elves, and it fueled the dragon sickness. It holds people down to their petty grudges and just festers. Letting go of the anger that holds you down, no matter what someone does to you, although it may be hard, is freeing. It lets you see things clearer and prevents fighting. And you can learn from this too. If someone wrongs you with malicious intent, forgive them, but do not forget what they have done. Make smarter decisions and learn to trust the right people. And I trust the dwarves with all my heart. They're like a family to me." Moriel nodded, thinking over Agarwaen's words.

"And they feel the same about you?"

"I think so. I hope so."

"Will you go back to the mountain?"

"I don't know yet. I don't think I can."

"Why not?"

"Even though I've earned the trust of the company, by then the mountain will be filled with dwarves from all over the place. They won't be very quick to trust me."

"Why do I get the feeling you're only telling me half the truth?"

"I'm telling the truth." Agarwaen crossed her arms.

"The whole truth?" Agarwaen had to choose her next words carefully.

"Well—" she was cut off by two children running behind them, diving into the bushes beside their table.

"Shh! Don't tell them we're here!" A dark haired boy whispered to the two women as his lighter haired friend snickered quietly beside him.

"Where are they?" Elrohir asked, followed by Elladan. They were soaked.

"My lords, what happened?" Agarwaen asked, eyes wide.

"Agarwaen, we didn't realize you were back. It has been some time." Elladan said as he and his brother bowed slightly.

"We were walking together, and two children dumped buckets of water on us from above us on a balcony." Elrohir grumbled.

"One was a human child with dark hair. You haven't seen him, have you?" Agarwaen eyed the bushes where the boys looked at her with pleading eyes.

"No, I have not. I'm sorry. But if I do see them, I will make sure to bring them to their parents. Although, may I ask why there is a human child here? There hasn't been one since—"

"I would speak with my father about that." Elrohir interrupted. "It's a...delicate matter." Agarwaen nodded, making plans to find Lord Elrond later.

"Of course. I will let you know if I find the culprits." The brothers nodded before leaving to continue their search. The boys stepped out from the bushes and Moriel gave Agarwaen a smug grin.

"You two," Agarwaen called before they could run off, "are not getting away so easily." She motioned for them to come near, and they reluctantly obeyed, with sheepish grins on their faces.

"Still getting into trouble, Celegnir?" The elf she knew, although he had grown since she last saw him and was now the equivalent of a twelve year old human child. He gave her a nervous laugh.

"Díheno nin, Agarwaen." He apologized.

"It is not me that you must apologize to, pinig. And who is your friend?" Agarwaen turned to the human child.

"Im Estel estannen." The boy, Estel replied.

"Agarwaen I eneth nîn. Ni veren an gi ñovaded. Where is your mother, Estel?"

"Somewhere." He shrugged. You're not going to tell her about this, are you?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe if you go and apologize to Elrohir and Elladan, I will keep your little secret, but I cannot speak for the brothers."

"But they'll kill us!" Celegnir cried, causing Agarwaen to smile.

"Perhaps you two should have picked someone else to prank, then. If you are truly afraid of them, I will come with you." She offered, and the boys looked to each other. Neither of them wanted to face their mothers, so they didn't really have a choice.

"Okay." Estel muttered as Celgnir nodded.

"Looks like we don't have to go far." Agarwaen said when she looked up. The brothers were heading back their way.

"Elrohir!" She called, gaining their attention. The boys winced and tried to hide behind the two elven women.

"You found them!" Elladan grumbled as they jogged over.

"We had a nice chat too." Agarwaen nodded. "They have something they'd like to say to you."

"Athog Díheno nin?" Both boys asked quietly. The brothers looked at them with sour expressions.

"This is the last I want to hear of your foolish pranks." Elrohir said sternly.

"Yes, my lord." They muttered.

"Your mother has been looking for you also, Estel. She is by the main fountain last we saw."

"I will take him to go find her. She's human, yes?" Agarwaen spoke up.

"Ná. Make sure that she knows what he's been up to."

"Of course." Agarwaen turned and winked at Estel as the brothers left. "We can finish talking later if you'd like, Moriel." She suggested, to which her friend agreed, saying that she had to meet with another elf soon anyway. Celegnir left as well, in search of lunch at home.

"How long have you been in Rivendell, Estel?" Agarwaen asked as the two walked through the gardens toward the main fountain.

"As long as I can remember. Why haven't I seen you before?" He asked.

"I am a wanderer. Besides when the dwarves were here last year, the last time I was in Rivendell was years before you were born."

"Why were the dwarves here?"

"They stopped by on their way to the east. I was their guide."

"Why were they travelling that way?"

"So many questions, pinig."

"I'm just curious." He shrugged. "I've heard whispers of a war for a dwarf kingdom. Is that where you were going?"

"Yes, it was."

"I thought dwarves didn't like elves?"

"I'm a special elf." She smiled, trying to make it easier for him to understand. "See, they even gave me some dwarf beads to say so." She pointed to her braids.

"I want to go out into the wild when I'm older. Mother won't let me go beyond the city walls."

"I'm sure she has a good reason for that."

"But all my friends have gone out. Their fathers have taken them out on horses and some have even gone hunting."

"Have you asked your father?"

"I...he died when I was very little."

"I'm sorry, Estel. Forgive me."

"You don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." He was silent for a few minutes, and then finally, as they approached the fountain, Agarwaen caught sight of a blonde woman who looked like she was searching.

"That must be your mother." She smiled down at the boy.

"It is." He nodded. "Thank you for walking with me." He bowed slightly. "Cuio vae!"

"Cuio vae." She called after him as he ran to his mother, who smiled and took his hand. She saw Agarwaen and waved with a smile. Agarwaen waved back, and decided to go find Elrond to see if he was busy.

For those of you who do not know, Estel is a young Aragorn. After his father, the chieftan of the Dunedain, was killed, his mother, Elrohir, and Elladan took him to Rivendell to keep him safe due to him being the last of his line. He is currently unaware of who he actually is, and won't find out for another nine years.

Díheno nin- I'm sorry.

pinig- Little one

Im Estel estannen- My name is Estel

Agarwaen I eneth nîn. Ni veren an gi ñovaded- Agarwaen is what I am called. I am happy to meet you.

Athog Díheno nin?- Will you please forgive me?

Ná- Yes

Cuio vae- Farewell