Horses and Ponies
KEYnote: To those of you who don't know the Hobbit, either the book or movies, this chapter might get a bit confusing because Luna kinda wonders off. But since the story is about her, not me retelling the Hobbit, I hope you still enjoy.
Thanks Nauze!
Chapter 5 - Horses and Ponies
Luna dismounted as they entered a low valley.
The horse knew where he was going, but Luna knew enough about watchpoints to keep herself close to the horse's shoulder and not to look up.
The stallion brought them to a stable that was grander than most palaces and was far more beautiful than any castle she had ever seen.
The horse led her to a stable. She closed the stall behind him, running her hand over the nameplate that was a series of runes. "Nike?" she asked, then she shook her head, "No, Nhile?"
She had never seen runes used like this and they were a bit different but the basic sounds she could make out, sort of.
He bumped her hand gently with his soft nose and she laughed, taking off the horse's bridle.
She took the saddle off next and was surprised that despite the speed that they had arrived, there were no sweat marks. Still, after she put the saddle over the door and the bridle on the hook, she found the grooming brushes.
Nhile began munching on the hay that smelled fresh already in the stall.
He was great until she picked out his hooves, he leaned his weight on her and the leg she was trying to encourage him to lift.
But Luna Lovegood hadn't become one of the world's best Magizoologists for nothing.
She won the war of wills and Nhile stood very still for her. She had all four hooves picked in two minutes.
"Don't be grumpy," she told him. “It's important."
"You speak Common?"
She jumped at the voice.
Nhile swished his tail at her as she turned to look at a young boy sitting on the stable door, the saddle and bridle gone.
He must have put them away himself, was he a stable hand.
"Hello," she greeted, noting the contrast between his blue eyes and dark hair. "What was your question?"
He tilted his head at her, "You're speaking the Common speech, not many elves, least of all Elleths, I've met choose to speak it. And horses understand elvish better."
She blinked at him, "I'm human, not an elf."
It was his turn to blink at her, "But I was so sure… but your ears are rounded like mine. I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude. My name is Estel."
"Pleased to meet you, I'm Luna," she answered, exiting the stall after Estel swung himself back into the stable hall. "And you weren't rude, but could you tell me where we are?"
"Imladris, though in the Basic tongue, many know it as Rivendell. How did you get here if you didn't mean to come here?" he said, and she finally placed his age at about ten years old or so.
"Nhile brought me here," she said, stroking the stallion's neck. "It was the fairest ride I've ever had." –If only I hadn't been so afraid.
Nhile preened under her touch and praise.
But Estel looked shocked, "Nhile really let you ride him?"
She nodded.
He laughed, "I cannot believe Elladan let you ride his horse."
"Estel," a beautiful deep voice called, though Luna could not understand the words that followed, the words seemed to breathe colour into the world.
A fair faced man, with a silver circlet over his dark hair, stepped into view. His clothes were robes like the ones wizards wore during weddings, only finer, and the style was more elegant.
As he spoke, he looked at her, and for a moment, she felt him look into her.
But she had long studied Occlumency with Harry and closed her mind to him.
He frowned at her.
And she smiled at him sweetly, she had lost almost all of her magic.
Almost.
Estel introduced them, "Adar, this Luna. Luna, this is Lord Elrond, Lord of Imladris."
She dipped into a curtsy as it seemed the thing to do.
Elrond inclined his head to her, "Welcome, Lady Luna. What brings you to our fair corner of the world?"
She gestured to the horse who had gone back to eating hay, "Nhile brought me here. I was just trying to get away from the trolls."
Elrond went very still but Estel exploded, "Trolls!? You saw trolls? Really what–"
"Estel," Elrond hushed before meeting her gaze. "How did you survive the trolls?"
She shook her head, "I don't remember, I was running away from them until the sunrise and I tripped. The next thing I remember was being in the arms of a man and I sort of panicked, but Nhile brought me here."
Elrond smiled at her gently, "Not a man, an elf, my son. He meant you no harm."
She bowed her head, mortified, "I'm sorry, it wasn'-"
He held up a hand and she fell quiet.
"Be at peace, child, my sons are rarely apart. Elladan would not be left alone without his mount. There is no harm done."
"But the trolls?" Estel interjected.
Elrond smiled slightly, "Are likely to have met a stony fate, such is the nature between trolls and sunlight."
Luna felt her shoulders ease.
She had really managed to save the ponies then.
Another elf came sprinting in the room and spoke in rapid elvish, or what Luna assumed was elvish.
Estel seemed to be bouncing on his feet, "Dwarves? And Mithrandir?"
Luna grinned, "That's my company."
Elrond and the older elf turned to frown at her.
Elrond asked, "What is a daughter of Man doing with a troop of dwarves?"
"I'm a dragonologist and we are going to the Lonely Mountain."
Estel's excitement shined brighter than the sun, whereas Lord Elrond looked as if he had been struck with a mallet between the eyes.
oOo
Elrond had at first been a bit amused to see a human child speaking with Estel in the stables. It wasn't so safe these days that they could travel freely to visit his people, so seeing him speaking with a child who could hardly be five or six years older than him, was a welcomed sight.
Though he did worry about what circumstances had left her alone.
Her out running trolls was a surprise, most women weren't in such shape for running long distances or at great speeds. Her traveling with dwarves was worrisome, but her being in the company of Mithrandir explained many an oddity without further discussion.
However, her being a 'dragonologist', something he had never heard of in his long life, was cause for great alarm. He could not deny the fear that entered his heart at her words. He could hardly follow the answers she gave to Estel.
This child was clearly touched, after all, no one sane worked with dragons. He half believed her a liar.
But his concerns were secondary to her statement about the Lonely Mountain.
Mithrandir, you chase as much trouble as you cause.
His sons chose then to arrive, Elrohir was smiling broadly and his twin looked the part of a statue.
He caught Elladan's gaze and his dear son dropped his head, colour rising to his cheeks.
A smile played on Elrond's lips as he said in the Common speech, "Lady Luna has seen to your horse, my son."
Elrohir laughed out loud, handing his brother the reins to his own horse, he stepped forward to the girl. Taking her hand, he said an elvish blessing as he laid a kiss on the back of her hand before saying, "It is an honour to meet your acquaintance."
Estel began to regale the twins with what Luna had been telling them.
Elrohir's smile fell and both twins looked to Elrond with concern.
"Estel," Elrond addressed, "Go with your brothers, I must return the Lady to her company."
And have words with a certain wizard.
Estel opened his mouth to protest but Elrohir cut him off, directing the boy back to the inner domain.
Estel waved to Luna, "It was nice meeting you, Lady Luna!"
She smiled, and for a moment, Elrond saw her light, as if she were herself elven or even touched by the Valar, "And you, Lord Estel."
Estel flushed and Elrond smiled despite himself.
Elrond led them to the front gaits where he saw a number of unhappy dwarves with their ponies.
But dwarves were usually unhappy around elves, there was a distinct sense of loss and despair among them all.
Until a halfling of all beings broke through the group to run up the steps, Luna hugged him.
And a great cheer went up, Mithrandir was positively beaming as Luna descended the steps with Bilbo and was welcomed with warmth and relief.
Standing to the side, Mithrandir said to Elrond in their tongue, "Thank you and your people for saving her."
"We didn't," he said, amused, "The troll met the sun and she stole Elladan's horse."
Mithrandir gave him a wide eyed look, and muttered to himself.
"What was that?" Elrond asked.
"Blessed by the Valar indeed," Mithrandir repeated.
"Excuse me?"
Mithrandir met his gaze, "She claims to be from West of the sea."
Elrond looked back at the girl, and the light she had hid from him made sense now. "I was not aware humans dwelt with the Valar."
"She is from the Lands of Exile."
Elrond stiffened, "What could a child have done to deserve such a fate?"
"Her parents, more like," Mithrandir remarked, his voice lowering further. "She is blessed and has passed through the halls of the Valar."
Elrond spoke drily, "And she is a dragonologist."
Mithrandir winced.
Elrond continued, "The Lonely Mountain? Have you taken leave of your senses at long last?"
Mithrandir let out a long sigh.
oOo
Thorin was relieved beyond measure to find their dragon expert, and despite himself, he was grateful to the elves for keeping Luna alive.
All of his people were. So the feast that the elves threw them was accepted with a bit more gratitude than they might have otherwise shown.
Luna had insisted on taking care of the ponies herself, greeting each one by stroking their velvet noses and praising them.
The ponies in turn followed her like goslings. She certainly could have taken care of them herself, nevertheless, Fili, Kili, and Bilbo went with her to assist and the four were late for the feast.
For a time, Thorin could tell himself that these elves were not the Woodland elves. He continued telling himself that throughout the meal right up until the Elvish Lord started lecturing him about bothering sleeping dragons.
Thorin couldn't hide his disdain after that.
oOo
Luna found herself falling in love with Imladris, with the graceful ways of the elves and the beauty of the many falls that were fed by the mountain rivers.
She adored it, right up until she realised how much her friends despised the elves and this place.
Well, Bilbo and Gandalf seemed to like them too, but the dwarves were clearly upset. So as much as she had enjoyed her stay among the fair folk, Luna found herself relieved when they had to sneak off in the night.
She only regretted not being able to say goodbye to Estel as they continued on the long road East.
oOo
Bilbo held himself back from complaining, not when Luna never complained, not about anything. He couldn't do less than her.
Her voice stayed cheerful, and Bilbo was quite delighted when he learned she could sing. Nights seemed less dark when she sang. The dwarves too, were warming up to her more and more.
If Bilbo were to be truthfully honest, the days and weeks that followed them leaving Rivendell were almost fun, like the way adventures were made out to be in stories when one was among friends and shared a common goal.
Things changed some when they got to the Misty Mountains.
It was so cold, Bilbo could hardly think.
But it was when the mountain shifted a bit beneath their feet that Luna, who had seemed unbothered by the cold, the wind, the snow, called out, "Stop!"
Thorin and Gandalf halted immediately and everyone stopped to look back at her.
"What is it, Luna?" Thorin yelled over the wind.
"We cannot take the ponies further!" she shouted back.
Bilbo huddled in the blanket he wore around his shoulders.
Bawlin called, "We do not have the time to turn back."
Bilbo could just make out the determination on Luna's fair face as she announced, "Then I will turn back."
"No!" Thorin yelled, walking back through the company. "No," he said, "It is too dangerous."
She shook her head and said stubbornly, "The cold isn't bothering me much, I've only to walk them back down the mountain base and they will know the way back to Imladris from there."
"Our supplies," Thorin began.
"Won't do us much good on lost ponies," she finished for him.
Bilbo watched the dwarven King's face, and remarkably, he broke first. He stomped up to her, and one last attempt to intimidate her into compliance. Naturally, it did not work on Lady Luna.
"Very well,” the dwarven king sighed. “Company, grab as much as you can carry."
Luna smiled and leaned forward to kiss Thorin on the cheek, "Thank you, Thorin."
He glared at her, "Hurry back."
She nodded and practically skipped off to Gandalf's horse to speak to the horse as if it could understand her.
Sometimes, Bilbo imagined the animals did understand her, perhaps better than the rest of them did.
What followed after Luna departed with Gandalf's horse and the ponies made him sincerely glad Luna had not been with them and he hoped that she would return to Rivendell.
That thought kept him brave even when they fell into the grasp of enemies who wanted to eat them. The dwarves were captured by goblins and Bilbo had the most interesting and horrid meeting with a creature that called itself Golem, or was it Smeagol?
oOo
Luna urged the ponies away and Gandalf's horse took the lead back to Imladris. She had faith that they would arrive safely and that the elves would take care of them.
However, she found that she had fallen further behind than she could have imagined.
She also discovered that the snow and cold did not bother her. That her feet seemed hardly to leave a print on the snow that packed up toward the peaks. It worried her that she lost their tracks, or rather, even the evidence of the passing of the company seemed to have been completely blown away.
Luna hadn't been truly alone since arriving in Middle Earth, it gave her time to think. The wind sang to her, and though she knew it was cold, it never seemed to rob her bones of strength.
What was happening to her body and her magic?
She was stronger than she had ever been, carrying back enough food with her than even a single pony had been made to hold.
She could still make sparks to light a fire at night but her sheer amount of physical stamina was beginning to make her reevaluate what the dragon had said to her.
Was she really human?
Estel had mistaken her for an elf, was that possible?
She touched her ears and found them rounded.
Luna liked the elves, but she didn't want to be one. Not if it meant the dwarves would hate her.
She sighed, even as it became clearer and clearer with every day that passed as she walked the mountain path that maybe she really wasn't human.
After all, Bilbo wasn't, the dwarves weren't, not even Gandalf was, as it seemed that wizards were something else here.
At one point, on her journey, she stopped to watch mountains come alive to play. She climbed up a crest to watch and wait it out. She kept score.
The mountain figures on her side seemed to have won.
She didn't start on again until she was reasonably sure they were asleep. She was forever thankful for sending the ponies back.
When she finally reached the end of the path, she arrived in time to hear Bilbo recount his tale of riddles with a monstrous creature and his mourning the loss of his vest buttons.
"Why did you go under the mountain?" she asked them.
Everyone spun on her and a united shout went up, "Luna!"
Then she promptly found herself being at the centre of a group hug.
She laughed, hugging the hobbit and the dwarves back, feeling altogether loved.
The moment didn't last as Gandalf warned them of approuching ganger and a crow cawed it's alarm from overhead.
"We must run, the goblins may not follow us but they have alerted the orcs."
The dwarves took her packs of food that she had lugged with her and together they ran.
She was the fastest.
Harry would have been proud of her.
Luna had never hated animals before, but the wolves that joined the chase reeked of an evil aura and she didn't pity them much when Gandalf threw cursed fire pinecones down on them. Only for orcs to come with fierce axes and start hacking at the trees.
Luna held onto Bilbo's arm to keep him from falling as she had been the one to carry him on her back up the tree.
She wished now more than ever for her magic.
She was beginning to lose hope when the talking eagles showed up.
The eagles seemed not to like the orcs and the evil wolves.
Luna happened to agree with them wholeheartedly.
As she rode on their backs, Bilbo holding onto her back for dear-life, Luna was reminded of flying on hippogryphs with Harry.
When Harry's life had fallen apart and Ginny started restricting how much time he could spend with Rose and James, Luna had done her best to distract him.
She always thought he would have been just as good with Magical Creatures as she was if things hadn't been constantly trying to kill him in his early years.
Nevertheless, the memory of Teddy's childish laughter and Harry's brilliant smile soared with her as they chased the sunrise on the backs of Great Eagles.
oOo
AN: Short chapter but all Luna :D Thoughts, reactions, hippogryphs, feedback, pretty please?
P.s. Estel is the name Elrond gave Aragorn ;)