Airelotwen had sat as far away from Thorin as she could when she'd been taken back to the cell. They'd sat in silence until doors had swung open and closed down the stone corridor. Aire tried to count them but too many were being slammed. "I thought we were the only ones down here." She mused, more to herself than to Thorin. It was another hour or so before their door opened and Legolas reappeared. He slipped the rope off Aire's wrist without a word and led her from the cell. Legolas led her into daylight before talking to her.

"You're being moved."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Aire replied sarcastically. "What do you mean moved?"

"Thranduil doesn't want you and Thorin in the same place."

"Why? Is he afraid we're planning an escape?"

Legolas chuckled. "Yes. And I'm worried that one of you will end up dead by tomorrow morn." Aire couldn't help but silently agree with the elf's concern. "You are half elf and my father does not wish to see kin sat in a cell. He's made up a room for rest in, should you wish to accept it. You will have to be with people at all times, but you will have a certain degree of freedom. It is my belief that you have done nothing wrong. Your other option is being moved to another cell, separate from Thorin Oakenshield's but no nicer."

Aire weighed up her options. Either way she was going to be a prisoner of sorts, but at least one option gave her the chance of light. "I think I'll take that room."

Legolas said something in swift elvish to a passing guard who nodded and hurried towards the caves. Aire was then led along a wooden bridge and down a dirt path. The back of her head itched slightly, as though someone was watching her, but when she turned around there was nobody there. Legolas led her along a small grass path before turning off and entering a large clearing. The clearing was oval in shape, bordered by a fast flowing river on the right and the mountains on the left. Cut into the rock were archways which led back into the mountains. A stone bridge cross the river, leading into the trees and to what looked like a solid stone wall. "This way." Legolas led Aire across the clearing where children the same size as her ran and laughed happily. The pair headed into a tunnel opposite the one which led to the jail cells. As soon as they'd passed through the archway they were in a large, underground space with houses cut into the rock and others made of wood. A small stream flowed through it, provided fresh water without the need to travel outside. Legolas led her to a small abode which was lit with candles and had a homely fell, even if it was underground. Two elven maids were waiting inside for them, standing with their hands folded and stood in front of a stair case. "This is Linwë and Telrúnya." Two elf maids, both with similar long, dark hair bowed politely. "They will get you settled. I have business to attend to in the court but I will be back soon. The one thing I ask of you is that you do not try to escape. It wouldn't be to your advantage."

"Where would I go if I did manage to escape?" Aire laughed. "Trust me, I have no desire to go back to Thorin and there is nowhere else I could go."

Legolas smiled and bowed. "Treat her well." He said to the elf maids before turning and leaving the hut.

Aire turned to the two elf maids who, now she looked closely, looked almost identical except for the shade of their hair and the colour of clothes. "My name is Linwë." The elf in the jade dress and darker blonde hair smiled. "This is my sister, Telrúnya." The second maid, dressed in emerald, bowed her head.

"Airelotwen."

"We know." Telrúnya smiled. "We've heard about you. The half elf - half dwarf who insists she's not married to Thorin Oakenshield."

"I'm not!" Aire protested but the two sisters merely laughed.

"This way." Linwë motioned to a set of stars. "We've run you a bath." Airelotwen headed up the stairs, the strange feeling that she was being watched by other than the sisters following her. Linwë and Telrúnya led her into a small room with nothing but a mirror, a toilet, a basin and a bath. They stripped her of her ruined clothes and left her to bathe in peace. The water was warm and heavenly on her stiff joints. She ducked her head and nearly moaned in relief as the warm water worked its way through her braided hair to her scalp, washing away the trials of the last few weeks.

Aire did not leave the bath until her finger and toes were wrinkled and the water cold. She towelled herself dry before looking around the bathing room for clothes. She found none but paused when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She barely recognised her own face; her hair was longer, her cheeks red from the elements and her lips chapped and dry. She was thinner and her collar bones now more prominent than they had been before she'd started the journey, a sign of the rarity of food. Aire turned from the mirror, opening the door to the adjoining bedroom where she found Linwë and Telrúnya waiting for her. "Oh, much better!" Telrúnya smiled. "You have very pale skin once that layer of dirt's been taken care of." She beckoned Airelotwen over, her sister holding up a dress. "Linwë, is the window opened?" the three occupants turned to the curtain which was fluttering in the breeze which came through the stone arch into the cavern.

Linwë pulled the window shut and pulled the blinds before motioning for Aire to drop the towel and put on some undergarments. They then helped her into a dress made of the same silken material that they wore. It was green in colour, like the ferns on the trees surrounding her cottage, a silver band holding it in around the waist. The end of the burgundy sleeves reached almost to the floor, hanging open up to her elbows when she raised her arms. Aire was then led over to a vanity cabinet and sat in front of it.

Linwë brushed the parts of Aire's hair which weren't taken up by the braids before setting the brush down on the vanity. Her hands moved back to Aire's head, taking the end of a braid.

"No!" Aire pulled away violently when she saw what the elf was about to do. Linwë stumbled back at the violent outburst. "You can't touch them."

"I- I'm sorry." The maid stammered. "I didn't realise that they meant a lot to you."

Aire took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. Just, can you not remove them please?"

"Of course. May I ask why you hold them so dear?"

Aire took a moment to think before she replied. "They were done by someone who I hold dear. Despite popular belief." The last part was added more to herself than two the other two. It was a confession for Aire as well as the two elves.

"Legolas will be back soon to talk to you. Until then we request you remain here."

Aire smiled and the two sisters took it as a dismissal. Aire waited until they left before she got swiftly to her feet. "Alright, who's there? Show yourself!" Aire let out a horrified squeak as Bilbo suddenly materialised behind the curtain. "Bilbo?!" the hobbit pushed a small gold ring into his pocked before holding his hands up.

"I swear, I saw nothing!"

"You're okay!" Aire drew the hobbit into a quick hug before letting him go, her nose wrinkled. "You stink!"

"Not all of us had the luxury of a bath!"

Aire laughed at the hobbit. "I think there's a clean bucket of water in the bathroom if you want to sponge yourself down." The Halfling smiled happily. "Go and clean yourself, then you can tell me how you appeared like you did!"

It took an hour for Bilbo to cleanse himself and recount the story of how he came by Gollum's ring. Legolas still hadn't returned and the pair was being quiet enough to no alert Linwë or Telrúnya to the hobbit's presence. "The others?" Aire pressed. "Where are they?"

"The guards took them down to separate cells. They're quite close to where you were. When I saw Legolas and you coming up the tunnel decided to follow rather than sit in the dark. Was Thorin with you?"

"Yes, same cell. Still grumpy mind you."

The conversation ended when they head Legolas on the stairs. Bilbo slipped his ring off, vanishing from view. His weight lifted from the bed as the door opened with a gentle knock. "You look better." Legolas smiled when he entered the room. "More elvish, although I imagine the dwarves would have my head for saying so."

Aire smiled and agreed wholeheartedly. "Will I be able to go back to see Thorin? Only briefly of course."

Legolas frowned. "I thought you'd be glad to be rid of him. Unless you're not being entirely honest about your feelings." He grinned then, eyes lighting up at the idea.

"No!" Aire groaned. "But if I don't let him know I'm okay then you'll have one pissy king on your hands."

Legolas nodded before thinking about something. "Is he actually a king?"

Aire shrugged. "His grandfather's dead and his father is assumed so. He's never corrected Bilbo or I when we've called him so."

Legolas sighed. "Ten minutes. That's all I can give you."

Aire didn't get to see Thorin for another two hours. Legolas supplied her with various excuses which translated into 'Thorin's being an ass and not allowed visitors'. By the time Aire did get down to see him he was red in the face and almost steaming at the ears. "Can you hold your temper long enough for me to come in or do I need to talk to you through the door?" Thorin looked up and, for the briefest moment, Aire thought she saw relief on his face.

Thorin was quick to push his walls back up though. "If you do not provoke my temper then you'll be fine." He said through gritted teeth, looking anywhere but her face. Instead he focused on her dress. Why he should do such a thing was beyond him. It was of elvish make and he had no reason to like it, but there was something about the way she carried it and the way it hung from his shoulders which made his brain stall.

"You need to keep your temper under check." Aire's words forced him to look at her face as she came to stand in front of him. "I would've been here sooner if that were the case."

Thorin felt something rip through him. Regret at prolonging her visit? More likely anger at her words as they tore into his pride again. "Forgive me for getting stressed when you disappear for hours with elves."

Aire laughed, the sound ringing through the elf-free cell. "Careful, you actually sounded concerned for me then."

"So what if I did?" the words were out of his mouth before Thorin could stop them, leaving the air between them swelling with awkwardness.

Airelotwen cleared her throat before speaking again. "Bilbo came to see me."

For the second time in two months Thorin was happy to hear his name. "The Halfling okay? What about the others?"

"The others were caught by the giant spiders that roam Mirkwood. Bilbo freed them only to be captured by elves." Thorin was given a brief rundown on Bilbo's ring and the events the rest of the company had gone through. "Be nice to Legolas. The nicer you are the more I may be able to persuade him to help me get you out of here." The door of the cell swung open and the elf in question entered.

"We need to go, Airelotwen."

Thorin glared at the elf as her name rolled from his tongue. Surely he was the only one to call Aire by her full name? What does it matter to you? He snapped internally.

Aire shot him a pleading look, hand resting briefly on his forearm. "Control your temper." She said at last before squeezing his arm lightly. She turned to smile at Legolas. The elf laid a hand between her shoulder blades, steering her from the room.

When the door swung shut behind them Thorin turned and connected his fist with the wall.

Sorry about the wait! My last exam is on Monday so hopefully updates will increase after that!