Chapter Twenty One: Gwen

My finger runs along the smooth, flexible wood of my bow, the arches that I cut myself. I poured to much effort into making it - for many hours I sat there, working tirelessly, carving carefully.

It seems like I'll be working for the rest of my life.

Constantly working towards some invisible, unreachable goal, working to set myself free.

And the goal seems farther and farther away every time I look at it.

No matter what I do, it's just out of reach. I stumble towards it, to grab it - reaching out - and then I fall, crashing into an abyss of self - doubt and misery.

That's just how it is, a voice whispers.

But why? Why, my whole life, have I struggled to make ends meet and get something out of it? I've strived so much, thirsting for something to fill the aching chasm inside, wanting a different life.

I've been trying to make something out of nothing.

Trapped between the two guards, I reminisce of a time where things were simpler. Less people in my life to disturb it. Always there will be the thought that I didn't make the right choice, going into the forest, but there is no turning back.

They walk either side of me, like sentinels of death, silently observing every step I take, waiting for me to make a break for it so they can send me back to be sentenced to execution. I know that's what they want. But I have a plan.

The trees whisper to each other in the light breeze of that morning, and the rushing of the water sings ever softly. This is really a beautiful landscape, but I wish I was here on better terms. Without the shackles.

I could wish many things that would never come true. I could waste my time, but I know it just won't happen. They won't come back. Spring doesn't come without a long winter. The enemy won't stop their evil. Thranduil's frozen heart won't thaw.

Thorin won't ever forgive me.

I feel tears roll down my cheeks and I want to scream.

I want to run.

I feel my legs begin to burn, with the urge to escape.

Just wait. Bide your time.

I grit my teeth, take a deep breath, and pick up the pace, prompting them to speed up with me. We've been following some invisible trail, but aren't picking up any clues as to their whereabouts.

Then, the wood breaks out onto a pebble beach next to the river. The pebbles are wet from the spray of a nearby waterfall, and I slow down to a halt. The two catch up to me breathless and panting.

I know one of them is about to say something, but before they do, I notice something. A scrap of something on the pebbles a way away. I walk towards it and crouch by it.

It looks like a discarded scrap of clothing, which could've been ripped accidentally, but that doesn't explain the blood. My mind immediately thinks the worst. Then I see the blood further away, trailing in a long line. It is untouched, seemingly, and fresh. Whoever shed it cannot be far away.

Legolas seems to have the same thoughts.

"We must continue further if we are to find them. They cannot be far now. This blood is fresh." He glances at Tauriel, who gives him a nod. We walk away from the beach and along the side of the river. Not long after our discovery at the beach, we find a mooring spot for barges, empty. It must be one of the ones that takes Elven goods to Esgaroth, to Laketown. On instinct I peer into the distance, to the lake beyond. We are at the other side of it, the wrong side, because obviously the dwarves have found a way across. We are too late.

They don't want to give up too easily, though.

"Come on. We have to find a way across. They have stowed away in a barge across, clearly. Quickly! We are close to the borders of their land. They are strict about trespassers."

"It is too far to walk around," Tauriel says doubtfully, looking warily at the rippling water. "And it would be foolish to swim."

"Yes, that is true." Admits Legolas. "I believe there is a boat somewhere here, for us to get across the lake in any matter of urgency."

"I don't see one." I mutter. "Guess we'll have to swim anyhow."

Tauriel goes white. "No, there must be another way. There must be a boat somewhere."

She begins hiking up the hill through the trees. Legolas looks up with concern and runs after her. "Tauriel, wait! It could be dangerous!"

Guess I've been left alone, after all.

But there is nowhere for me to go. Legolas was right - they've somehow found their way across, and the only way for me to be free is to follow.

Reluctantly, I start up the hill.

To my surprise, in opens out onto a tall cliff, which looks out over the endless lake. It is so high you can see over the mist that shrouds it, and the wooden buildings that rise in the distance, silhouetted at jagged angles.

Legolas and Tauriel stand a few steps away, suspiciously close to one another, deep in conversation. I strain to hear, but they're talking in an older form of Elvish than the one I can understand.

Instead, I inhale deeply, feeling the fresh air enter my lungs, and the cold wind blowing my hair behind me. It reminds me of when I stood upon the small hill near my cabin, watching Thorin go.

So much has happened, but barely any time has passed.

Suddenly, the two become aware of my presence, and Legolas's jaw hardens at the sight of me, and he looks away distastefully.

"Legolas." Tauriel says in a warning voice. "We need to find a way across now."

Legolas nods, looking down at the ground, shoulders relaxing. "Keep looking."

I scan around, wandering in and out of the trees. The ground feels somewhat springy here, fresh with the moisture from the dawn. Moss makes it a bouncy carpet of nature. I look down, frowning. The ground does feel a little too unstable and light here. I bend down to feel it, and it comes away when I brush my hand over it, revealing a small hollow where a boat is hidden. I almost laugh. Of course, the Elves have found an ingenious hiding place. I grip the prow and try to haul it out, but despite how light they are supposed to be, I can't do it on my own. "Found it!" I call.

We all haul it out together, and drag it back down the hill to the water's edge. It is equipped with oars inside, thankfully, and looks like it can take all three of us.

We push off into the calm water that feels like we're floating on clouds, especially in this boat. I could almost be calm, if it wasn't for the feeling of impending doom coming my way.

After about an hour of taking turns to row, we finally see the shore more visibly, and the entrance to Laketown, which is manned with guards and Watchmen, obviously. The wooden structures tower over our small boat soon, imperiously for this crooked, humble town. It looks a grim place of no light and of constant worry and threat from the mountain that looms behind it. The buildings are dark and cats and other creatures scamper across wooden boards, and across makeshift roofs. People stare uncannily at us, the only visitors in a while, clearly. Then they retreat back into their box - like homes, unreadable expressions on their faces.

As we slow to a halt in front of a barrier, a guard approaches us.

"Who are you, and what business do you have in Laketown?" He asks.

"I am Legolas, son of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood. I am here on private matters." Legolas replies.

"I cannot let you past, my lord, unless you state your purpose here."

"We are here to find escaped prisoners from the king's jail." Legolas says.

I can see the sudden alertness of the guard, and he raises his eyebrows. "Very well. But, you are Elves. Who is this human girl with you?"

Legolas speaks for me. "This is another prisoner. She is leading us to the escapees."

The man nods reluctantly. "You may enter."

The barrier swings up, and we drift through. Tauriel moors the boat and we step ashore.

"We must ask people if they have seen them. I can imagine a band of dwarves and a hobbit cannot be too difficult to spot."

"Should we split up?" Tauriel suggests. "I will take the prisoner."

A doubtful look crosses his face. "Are you sure?"

She nods, grinning nastily at me. "Perhaps we can have a heart to heart. She can tell me where those dwarves are."

For some reason, the words "heart to heart" coming from a trained captain of the guard don't sound too jolly.

But, I am ready for this. I just have to play it right.

I put on a fake smile. "Of course. I'd be more than happy to have a conversation with you...heart to heart."

A/N

Thanks for reading! so sorry for the slow updates, been quite busy with study, but I will make sure the next few are up on time.

Hope you enjoyed, we're moving onto Laketown now! Next POV is Thorin's...what could have happened at the end of hid last chapter!? I guess you'll have to find out, stay tuned :)