Gandalf watched the sun rise from the small courtyard where the council meeting had been held. The colors of the sky were varying shades of pink, purple, and red. Quite lovely, really, and most likely one of the last pleasant things that he would see for some time.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Gandalf turned to see Kristiel. For a brief moment, he thought that he was looking at his late wife. Kristiel was named for her, and the strong resemblance to her grandmother was uncanny. Even her eyes were the same shade of changeable green. But, whereas his wife had had hair the color of red fire, and non-pointed ears, as she hadn't been an elf, but Maiar, like him, his granddaughter didn't.
No, Kristiel took after her mother in those aspects, and others as well. Her silver-blonde hair marked her as a Silvan elf, which was what her mother had been. Her pointed ears she had also inherited from her mother. The same with her pale skin and delicate stature.
However, there was nothing delicate about Kristiel. She had an elf's strength and super-acute senses. Add to that, the powers that she had inherited from her father, his son, and one got a very formidable being.
Kristiel stopped about ten feet from him and spoke.
"The others are gathering down in the courtyard," she said quietly.
Gandalf nodded, before looking back at the risen sun one last time. Then, he turned and went over to where his granddaughter stood.
"Shall we take the long way, or the short?" Kristiel asked.
"The short," Gandalf replied. "To save time."
He linked an arm through Kristiel's, and the courtyard disappeared, only to be replaced by the much larger courtyard down below a second later. Just as his granddaughter had said, the other members of the Fellowship were gathered together, near the gates that led out of the city. Surprisingly, the only ones startled, by their appearance out of thin air, were Gimli, Boromir, and Merry and Pippin. The horse, Bill, didn't even blink, though they had appeared right in front of him. Gandalf looked down at Kristiel, who merely shrugged.
"He knows me," was all she said.
Before Gandalf could find out what she meant by that, Gimli spoke.
"Not another elf!" he exclaimed. "It's bad enough that we've already got one in the Fellowship. What do we need two for?"