"There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your hearts desire. The other is to get it."
George Bernard Shaw
Lizzy woke the next morning feeling mildly better than she had done the previous day, though her limbs were still heavy, shaking violently as she struggled to sit up against the pillows. The movement sent pangs through her abdomen and her stomach lurched threateningly. She instinctively clasped a hand over her mouth, but thankfully didn't vomit again.
Surprisingly, her room was completely empty. Being alone was an unusual feeling after travelling for so long in a large company: the only times that she had ever really been alone while they were on the road was when she slipped away from the camp for privacy to wash. Speaking of which, she was still dressed in her rather dirty and smelly clothes from the road, though her coat and boots had been removed. A bath would certainly not go amiss; she was worried that she was soiling the clean white sheets of the bed simply by lying on it.
She quickly grew bored of simply staring at the walls around her and started trying to properly get up from the bed. A quiet knock came at her door just as she was attempting to swing her legs over the edge, her aching body protesting with every movement she made.
A female Elf with long, light brown hair entered carrying a tray of fresh fruit and bread. She deposited it on a small table and she looked at Lizzy in concern. "Do you need assistance, my lady?" she asked melodiously, stepping closer.
"No, no I'm fine," Lizzy insisted, taking a few deep breaths – moving was far more tiring than she had thought it would be: it appeared that the after-effects of the spiders' venom were very long-lingering.
The Elf identified herself as Ciwen and instantly entered Lizzy's good books by telling her that there was already a bath prepared for her behind the screen. She offered her assistance once again, but Lizzy struggled to her feet, insisting that she could manage. The Elf positively floated around the room straightening up the mess the Dwarves had left behind them in their visit yesterday while Lizzy puffed and panted her way to the bathtub, clawing at furniture on her way in an attempt to stay upright.
It wasn't only her stubborn independence keeping her from accepting Ciwen's help, but rather the intimidatingly ethereal beauty of the Elves. Did they even have body hair? she wondered to herself as she finally got behind the screen and started struggling out of her clothes. She glanced down at her bare, unshaven legs and shrugged. She had honestly stopped caring about such things weeks ago but still had no desire to strip down in front of such other-worldly creatures; though she had never really had many body hang-ups, the ridiculously tall and slender Elves could make anyone feel frumpy in comparison.
Lizzy hesitated to remove the clean, white bandages that she found wrapped around her middle, but then firmly decided that she would rather see the damage now. She struggled to unwind the gauze, her arms shaking by the time she had finished. Standing naked in front of the tub, she took a deep, steadying breath, dropped the handful of gauze to the floor, and then looked down at her body. There were two golf-ball sized , angry red wounds on her stomach and ribs, standing out starkly against her pale skin. The skin was puckered and raw around the injuries, already showing evidence of the scars that they would leave behind.
Her breath was coming in short, sharp bursts as she tentatively touched one of them, feeling a dull flare of pain under her probing fingers. These were scars that she would carry for the rest of her life, scars that she would have to explain to people some day, she thought sadly, thinking that they would no doubt be seen as ugly and disfiguring.
Then she straightened her spine and tried to force her hands to stop shaking. She had received these scars in battle, she had fought giant spiders and lived, she reminded herself firmly. The Dwarves viewed scars as badges of honour and that was how she was going to think of these new marks on her body.
With that in mind, she climbed into the tub of warm water with difficulty, hissing in pain as the water touched her injuries. On the other side of the screen Ciwen spoke to her as she continued tidying the room, telling her that there was to be a large feast tomorrow where, if she was well enough, she would meet King Thranduil. Lizzy assumed that this feast was in honour of the visiting company, a surprisingly welcoming move on the Elves part, and tentatively hoped that their visit was going better than it had in the story that she knew from her world.
Feeling clean again, she tried to get up out of the bathtub, though her muscles still didn't seem to want to support her weight and tremors were racking her body. Her efforts ended with her collapsing into a naked wet tangle on the cool stone floor, her fall sending jabs of pain through her abdomen.
She swore loudly and colourfully.
"Are you alright, my lady?" Ciwen asked in concern from behind the screen.
"Fine, fine," Lizzy stubbornly insisted once more, trying and failing to get to her feet.
There was a brief pause as her feet slipped and slid on the cool tiles, trying and failing to stand. "... There is no shame in asking for help when you need it," Ciwen said kindly, her voice full of quiet understanding.
Lizzy stopped trying to stand and took several deep breaths. She then counted to five in Khuzdul (which was as high as Bifur had taught her to count so far) and swallowed her pride. "Help would be great," she admitted, resigning herself to accepting assistance until she was back to full health and strength.
With Ciwen's help she was surprisingly quickly dressed in a gauzy gown of pale blue material. The dress was undeniably beautiful, seeming to float around her, but Lizzy still felt somewhat uncomfortable in it. Her normal clothes had been spirited away while she was in the bath, so she was left with little choice in her attire. After dressing, Ciwen guided her to sit on a chair in front of the small table and brushed out her damp hair while Lizzy picked at the fresh bread and fruit that had been bought for her, taking small bites and eating slowly lest her stomach start protesting again. As she ate, she wondered vaguely where the others were: judging by the light outside it was probably around mid-morning, though she hadn't seen a single hint of the Dwarves.
Ciwen finished her work and smiled softly. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked politely.
"Um, no, I'm fine thanks," Lizzy replied after swallowing a mouthful of bread, giving her a passive smile.
The Elf inclined her head at her and then swept elegantly from the room, closing the door softly behind her and leaving Lizzy alone once again.
"Well, I thought she'd never leave," a familiar, mildly disgruntled voice said from behind her.
Lizzy spun around to find a smiling Bilbo standing in the middle of her room, one hand loosely holding the ring that he had obviously just been wearing. "Bilbo!" she said happily, holding out her arms. He stepped close to her chair and she hugged the Hobbit tightly as her injuries would allow. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you," she beamed as she let him go. "How did you get in?"
"Slipped in behind the Elf when she first came in. Had to wait for her to leave before I could take this off, of course," he added, turning the ring over and over in his fingers.
Lizzy frowned. "So you were … in the room … while I was …?" she trailed off pointedly, raising her brows at Bilbo since she had been getting dressed a few minutes before.
The Hobbit looked flustered, a hint of red appearing high on his cheeks. "There is a very very lovely view out of your room, I was completely engrossed," he assured her in a low voice.
She glanced to one side, where one wall opened up onto the forest – there was nothing but trees, not a particularly inspiring sight. She smiled indulgently at the Hobbit, shaking her head slightly. "So where is everyone?" she asked breezily, helping herself to more bread.
Bilbo pressed his lips into a thin line, tilting his head to one side. "In the dungeons," he said reluctantly.
"What?" she exclaimed loudly, which sent a painful twinge through her body, making her wince. "I thought we were guests!" she added with one hand resting on her sore abdomen; that was what the Dwarves had told her last night when they had been freely roaming around her room.
"Thorin lost his temper with the king while he was at dinner yesterday," Bilbo explained, tentatively watching her reaction and fiddling with the ring. Lizzy noticed that the Hobbit was still dirty and travel-stained, hints of web still sticking stubbornly to his clothing from their fight with the spiders. His eyes were also shadowed, showing that he clearly hadn't slept the previous night. "Thranduil wanted to make a deal, but Thorin wasn't having any of it."
She sighed sadly, seeing this as a sign that the story was reasserting itself – it seemed that no matter what they did, they still ended up on the same path. It was a frightening and disturbing thought, making her think that they might have to do something drastic if she was to succeed. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised," she admitted honestly in a dull voice, knowing that the company was imprisoned in the original story. She looked up at Bilbo, the architect behind the escape. "So have you come up with an escape plan?" she asked with cautious hope, knowing it would fall to the Hobbit to get them out.
"You know, I think I might have done," he said, lowering himself into the chair opposite her and helping himself to some of her breakfast – she didn't begrudge him the food, if he had been sneaking around invisible he probably hadn't had much chance to eat properly. "I've spent the last day or so exploring and all of the doors are locked and guarded." He raised a finger as he chewed and swallowed a mouthful, "But, there is a water-gate in the cellars that barrels are sent out of ..."
Lizzy smiled, knowing that he was on to success.
"... Of course there are Elves down in the cellars as well, and the company is all locked up, so I don't know how we would get them out of their cells, let alone down to the water-gate without being seen ..." he continued, clearly thinking through his plan as he talked.
Lizzy remembered what Ciwen told her about the feast. "There is a feast tomorrow night, maybe that will provide some distraction," she suggested, taking a sip of what appeared to be hot, sweet berry tea.
"Maybe," Bilbo agreed, his face falling into a contemplative frown. " … I'll need to get my hands on those keys though, which shouldn't actually be very difficult with this," he added, still toying with the ring in his hands. He noticed Lizzy smiling at him with her fingers curled around the teacup and crumpled his brow at her. "What are you smiling at?" he asked almost suspiciously.
"You," Lizzy replied, her smile widening. "You really have grown into the role of burglar."
"Yes, I suppose I have," Bilbo said with sudden heaviness, looking down at the ring, which was fair and beautiful in his dirty hands. "I feel like a completely different Hobbit to the one that ran out of my front door without a handkerchief all those months ago," he added sadly.
She reached forward to cover his hand with her own. "Believe me, I know the feeling there, Bilbo," she assured him honestly, giving him a sad smile in turn – sometimes she felt so changed in herself that she thought her family would not even recognise her when (if, her treacherous mind whispered) she returned home.
"You know ..." he continued hesitantly the words dragged reluctantly from his mouth as he avoided her eyes. "Sometimes I even wonder if I will ever see my home again," he admitted, a hint of fear in his voice.
"You will," she said reassuringly, squeezing his hand tightly since she, out of everyone in the company, was possibly the only one who knew exactly how he was feeling and how gut-wrenching that fear of potentially not returning was.
Bilbo looked up at her, his eyes very wide beneath his creased brow and curly hair. "How can you be so sure?" he asked doubtfully, shaking his head forlornly.
Lizzy released his hand and tapped her fingers to her temple. "Foreknowledge, remember?" she said, rationalising that giving Bilbo the conviction that he could indeed return home wouldn't put the quest in too much jeopardy. "You will arrive back in the Shire just in time to find the Sackville-Bagginses organising an auction of all your belongings, intending to move into Bag End since everyone thought you were dead," she told him simply. "You will stride up the hill with your sword at your side, order them all out of your house and then sit in your armchair with the first decent cup of tea you will have had in months, content in the knowledge that you have thoroughly pissed off your relatives."
Bilbo was straining not to smile, his lips quirking against his will. "That sounds nice," he admitted, a grin breaking though and brightening his tired features. He suddenly turned serious, a thought clearly occurring to him. "If I do manage to get the keys, I'll have to come up and get you as well, unless you can get down to the water-gate yourself."
She felt a flash of trepidation at this: she had been so weak that she collapsed to the floor just getting out of the bathtub, she doubted that she would be better by tomorrow and didn't want to jeopardise their escape. "Bilbo, I want you to promise me something," she said, wondering how she would get out of Mirkwood if she couldn't join them in the barrels.
"What?" he asked, still picking at the food in front of them.
"I know you will get the Dwarves down to the barrels just fine, but if the time comes and I am not there you must leave without me, no matter what Thorin says," she said sternly.
Bilbo looked shocked at this. "But ..."
"Promise me, Bilbo," she pressed firmly.
He put down the piece of apple he had been about to lift to his mouth. "Lizzy, he would be furious, I can't just -"
"Durin's day is not far away and the Dwarves must be at the mountain by then," she insisted. "If they are recaptured because they were waiting for me then they will never get there fast enough. Please, Bilbo," she added entreatingly.
Bilbo sighed grumpily, still fiddling with the ring in one hand. "Fine, I promise," he said sullenly.
Before Lizzy could respond they heard the doorknob to her room turning – Bilbo was invisible in an instant as he slipped the ring back on. The door opened to reveal the same tall, red haired Elf that had led the Dwarves away yesterday. She was wearing close fitting clothing of forest green and brown and wore both a bow and quiver of arrows on her back and two knives at her side even within the safety of the halls. She looked curiously around the room as she entered. "Who were you speaking to?" she demanded, not waiting for permission to enter.
"Nobody," Lizzy insisted, watching her carefully, trying to figure out if she was a threat. She had heard Kili call her Tauriel yesterday - she was a person within the story that she had heard of, but knew very little about, thus she was not sure what to make of her or the role she would play.
Tauriel finished her brief search of the room. She turned to face her, her eyes keen and penetrating. "I heard voices," she said coolly, watching her reaction.
Lizzy shrugged. "Clearly you're hearing things," she replied as casually as she could, and then watched as Tauriel's gaze swept over the room once more.
Still finding nothing, the Elf abandoned her search and returned her gaze to her face again. "How are you feeling?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"Well enough," Lizzy lied, still feeling weak and shaky after her exertion in the bath. "Though I would like to see my friends," she added, before remembering that she shouldn't know where they were since it had been Bilbo, not the Elves who had told her of the Dwarves imprisonment.
Tauriel looked thoughtful as she walked briefly around the room: she appeared to be the kind of person who was often in motion, her movements both sharp and elegant. She came to a stop in front of Lizzy. "They have been taken down to the dungeons," she told her eventually, her voice crisply unemotional even as her eyes flickered, almost as if she did not approve of their imprisonment. "And I do not think that the king would approve of you visiting," she concluded, though there was little conviction in her tone.
Lizzy struggled up out of her seat, clinging on to the table for support. "I don't really care what the king thinks," she said, trying to be brazen as she looked up into the Elf's face, who was at least a foot taller than her.
"That is unwise of you," she replied neutrally, watching her efforts to stand. She then sighed, tilting her head at her as she appraised her shaking hands and tight grip on the table. "Besides, I do not believe you are well enough," she added, her voice quieter, more apologetic and filled with concern.
"I'm fine," Lizzy insisted, and then realised how aggressive her tone had sounded. She purposefully softened her voice, looking up at the Elf. "I need to see them, I need to make sure they're alright," she said entreatingly. "Please? I won't cause any trouble," she added, really laying it on thick.
Tauriel considered this for a long moment, her head still tilted to the side. "Can you walk?" she asked eventually.
In lieu of answering, Lizzy stepped away from the table – she put her weight on one leg and very nearly collapsed to the floor. Tauriel swiftly caught her, leaning down to support her with an arm around her waist. "Your muscles are still recovering. You should be resting, you cannot even stand properly," she said disapprovingly.
"No, I can do this," Lizzy said, taking several deep breaths as she steeled herself.
They started walking slowly, with Tauriel supporting her as she hobbled her way out of the door. Walking was easier with her assistance, with her muscles shaking slightly less when she didn't strain them as much. They were half way down the corridor when the Elf spoke again. "You certainly are a stubborn one, I can see why you have an affinity with the Dwarves," she said neutrally, though there was the smallest hint of amusement in her voice.
Lizzy smiled in turn. "You can say that again," she replied, and then glanced at the Elf helping her, deciding to try and engage her in conversation. "You're Tauriel, aren't you? I heard Kili saying your name yesterday."
The Elf blinked at the mention of Kili's name and then nodded slowly. "Yes, I am Tauriel," she said cautiously, clearly second-guessing her motives in making conversation.
"I'm Lizzy," she told her, smiling to let her know that she appreciated her assistance.
There was a brief pause. "It is a very great pleasure to meet you, Lizzy."
Thorin was lying on his cot in the small cell he had been given, simply staring up at the stone ceiling above him. It had been a long night, with no sleep whatsoever being forthcoming, yet he was willing to bet that dawn had finally broken outside. He had spent most of the night pacing the cell like a caged animal, but had retreated to the bed a few hours ago to give his body, if not his mind, some greatly needed rest. His thoughts had been highly disturbed: he had no idea if Elizabeth had woken, if she was being treated well, and had not yet heard one word from their invisible burglar.
He heard a strange shuffling outside his cell, but could not be bothered to sit up and investigate.
The red haired woman that had been present when they had first encountered the Elves unlocked the door to his cell.
"What?" he said rudely from where he lay on the bed, in no mood for the company of Elves.
"You have a visitor," she replied coolly, stepping to one side and pulling the door wide.
He sat up, bracing himself on his elbows as Elizabeth appeared in the doorway. She was wearing a very fine gown, but looked pale and haggard, clutching the wall for support. Tauriel closed and locked the door behind her with an audible click, shutting them both into the cell. "You have two minutes, I will be just down the hall checking the other cells," she told them firmly through the bars. Then she vanished, leaving them alone.
There was a long silence as they simply stared at each other.
Elizabeth took a hesitant, shaky step towards him, but Thorin was already on his feet, crossing the cell in three strides as she half-stumbled into his arms. He enveloped her in a fierce embrace, burying his face in her neck as sheer overwhelming relief that she was safe flooded through him. She clung to him tightly in turn and he slid his large hands slowly down her back, pulling her fully against him to reassure himself that she was truly there. As he did so, he became aware of the shivers that were racking her slender body.
He drew back slightly, keeping her in the circle of his arms as she clutched at the material of his dark blue shirt, the Elves having stripped him of his armour when he was imprisoned. "Are you alright?" he asked urgently, taking note of her pinched and sallow skin.
"I'm fine – a bit weak and shaky, but fine," she said with a wan half-smile, showing no intention of letting him go any time soon. "The Elves say I shouldn't even be standing up yet," she added, her voice somewhat raspier than usual.
Thorin smoothed a hand over her loose hair, which was hanging damp and straight down her back. He was positively revelling in her presence before him; the last time he had seen her she had been unconscious, and before that he had feared for her life: having her here now almost didn't seem real. "Mahal above, it is good to hear your voice," he admitted, allowing her hair to slip between his fingers. His other hand exerted a little pressure on the small of her back to instinctively draw her even closer, so that their bodies were flush against each other again.
The moment between them was broken by Bofur shouting from the cell next door. "Is that Lizzy?"
"Lizzy!"
"Is she alright?"
Elizabeth smiled indulgently at this interruption and released him, stumbling over to the door to speak to the company that was currently making a fuss over her presence. "I'm fine, just – just give us a minute, okay?" she called to them.
She then turned to look at him once again, still gripping the bars behind her for support. For the first time he took proper note of what she was wearing, a gauzy Elven gown of sky-blue that fastened at the shoulders, the material wrapping tantalisingly around her figure as it fell to the floor. Much like the gown she had worn in Ered Mithrin, it made her look like nobility.
"You look strange," he said slowly, his eyes on her dress – finery was all well and good, but he preferred the girl in fraying trousers, messy hair and dirt arching over one cheek as opposed to the noble lady before him.
She smiled at him, leaning back against the bars. "Clean, I think is the word you're looking for," she said wryly, making him half-smile at her in turn since his thoughts had certainly wandered down that road. Releasing the door, she took a step towards him. Her legs visibly trembled and he reached out to support her, leading her over to his small cot and sitting her down on it. He then knelt down before her and lifted a hand to cup her face, concerned at how little strength she seemed to have. She did not mind this liberty, raising her own hand to hold his fingers to her cheek, closing her eyes and tilting her head so that her lips touched his skin and her breath scorched his palm. She took several deep breaths, seeming basking in his presence.
"... Thorin, what are we doing here?" she asked quietly after a long moment, opening her eyes to pierce him with her questioning gaze. "We could have avoided Thranduil's halls."
He took both her hands in his own, lowering them to her lap. "Elizabeth, I thought you to be dead," he said, his voice deep and gravelly as he looked down at her slim hands lying in his own much larger, calloused ones. "I held your lifeless body in my arms and I mourned you. And when I discovered that there was a way to save you ..." he trailed off, watching as his thumbs wandered in circles over the softness of her upturned palms, listening to the hitch in her breathing.
He had been terrified at the idea of losing her. He had known since Ered Mithrin that he held some affection for her, but that fear, that all-consuming despair that had gripped him when he had discovered her seemingly-lifeless body, had made him realise that he might just love her. A human, a slip of a woman who was barely out of her girlhood, and yet he wanted – needed – her desperately. He was in too deep, his feelings ran too strong. Without even realising what he was doing, he had allowed himself to become far too involved with her, to the extent that he was not sure he could break ties with her even if he wanted to.
Which he didn't.
Regardless of the controversy, he wanted her in his life, by his side, for the rest of his life.
"So you asked them for help," she finished for him, her voice soft. "You did that … for me?" she asked, sounding very confused by this.
He looked up at her, taking in the crumpled frown of bewilderment that creased her brow. "I believe there is very little that I would not do for you," he told her seriously.
She took several deep breaths, the occasional shiver still racking her frame, and then glanced around the cell. "And how exactly did you end up in here?" she asked with the air of one shifting the subject.
"I believe we have Thorin's charming personality to thank for that," Bofur called from the cell next door. "He couldn't even get through a simple dinner without getting us all locked up."
"Oh hush," Elizabeth called back with a smile.
Thorin lowered his voice, realising that the others were listening in – which meant the Elf might be able to hear as well. "To answer your question, Thranduil made me an offer that I had to refuse," he told her, an echo of the anger he had felt towards the Elf-king at his audacity to demand treasure flaring in him. "You told me at Beorn's that we can escape easily enough, and I confess I was banking on your foreknowledge to get us out."
Elizabeth replied in a whisper also. "It's Bilbo who is going to get us out, not me," she told him, leaning very close to quietly breath her words. "He is going to come up with an absolutely brilliant plan that you're probably going to hate."
He smiled slightly. "That sounds very reassuring," he said dryly, though in truth he was reassured, his order to Bilbo to utilise his ring now seemed validated. He looked up into her face from where he knelt before her and then squeezed her hands in his own. "Elizabeth … if you get the opportunity to escape I want you to take it regardless of whether or not we are still imprisoned. Make for Lake Town, we will join you there as soon as we can," he commanded softly.
She shook her head adamantly. "I'm not leaving you behind, if anything goes wrong with Bilbo's plan you might need my help," she protested.
"That was an order, Elizabeth," he said sternly, thinking that this wasn't the time for her to demonstrate her staunch loyalty.
She smiled at him, leaning even closer so that their faces were scant inches apart. "And since when do I do anything you say?" she whispered challengingly, her eyes very bright.
Unable to help himself, Thorin lifted his hand to her cheek once again, allowing his thumb to brush over the fullness of her lower lip. Her breath caught and the playful challenge in her gaze faltered. She blinked and lowered her eyes for several long seconds – he thought that he might have offended her with this bold touch. "You told Thranduil that we were … betrothed," she said hesitantly, shifting the conversation again and lifting her gaze to look tentatively at him through her eyelashes. "... Why?" she added, shaking her head slightly as she gazed at him, her confusion evident once more.
"To protect you," he said honestly, slowly lowering his hand from her face.
She bit her lip distractingly, causing his eyes to dart briefly downwards. "… Any other reason?" she asked, raising one shoulder into a half shrug - and did he imagine the cautious hope in her eyes?
He opened his mouth to speak, intending to declare himself – he was not certain of her feelings, especially given the family that was waiting for her back in her world, but he was not one to hide his own feelings or emotions. Yet, looking up into the wide orbs of her silvery eyes, he could not find the words.
"It is time to go," the Elf said from the doorway behind them, shattering the moment between them.
After allowing Lizzy into the dungeon Tauriel locked the door behind her and retreated to check the other cells, intending to give the couple a few moments of privacy, knowing it must be hard for her to be separated from the person she had pledged herself to. She walked the length of the walkway containing the cells, going up and down the stairs built into the rock on silent footsteps. The Dwarves largely ignored her, though there was a brief clamour as they realised who was visiting their king. She noticed that one of them, a Dwarf with a portion of axe embedded into his forehead, was fiddling with something that she couldn't see in his hands – she considered confiscating whatever it was, but reasoned that they had all been searched for weapons and so it could not be anything dangerous.
As she passed Kili's cell she noticed him tossing a small stone into the air and catching it. She paused before the bars and he glanced up at her from where he sat against the wall, then he looked away and continued throwing the stone. "That stone in your hand, what is it?" she asked curiously, wondering at this strange impulse of hers to start a conversation with the prisoners.
Kili stopped throwing the stone and turned it over in his fingers. "It's a rune stone," he told her simply, looking down at his hands. "My mother gave it to me as a token, so that I would remember my promise."
She stepped closer to the bars, looking down at him. "What promise?"
He glanced up, meeting her eyes, and smiled easily. "That I would come back to her," he said, and then his expression turned wry, his dark eyes bright with humour even in the dimness of the cells as he tossed the stone into the air once more. "She worries, she thinks I'm reckless."
Tauriel pursed her lips slightly at this small reference to parental love. Both of her parents had left for the undying lands when she was at the tender age of ninety-four, rather young for an Elf. They had been the only family she had ever known and she had been forced to make her own way in the world for many centuries – perhaps that was why she had found the close-knit family group of Dwarves so intriguing, since it was everything she had never known.
"And what does your father say?" she questioned, finding herself wanting to know more about this strange Dwarf before her, one that was so willing to speak while the rest appeared to resent her simply because they belonged to different races.
Kili 's cheer wilted slightly, and he looked down at the stone once more. "I never knew my father, he died before I was born," he admitted quietly, and then threw the stone slightly too high into the air. He knocked it with his fingers as it fell, sending it skittering out between the bars.
Tauriel quickly stopped it with the toe of her boot, bending down gracefully to pick it up. She held it up to the light of one of the lanterns, taking note of the iridescence weaving its way through the dark stone and the smoothness of the engraved lines, a word in a language that she had never seen before.
"Did your mother craft this herself?" she asked, impressed by the high quality of the work – if a Dwarvern woman carved this small item of great beauty as a simple token for her son, she would greatly like to see proper Dwarvish stonework.
Kili nodded and Tauriel traced the lettering with a finger. It was sharp and angular, nothing like the flowing Elvish script she wrote with. "What does it say?" she questioned further, returning her gaze to him as she did so.
"It simply says … return," he told her plainly; he had risen to his feet when he had dropped the stone and was now watching her through the bars, his head tilted to one side. He then craned his neck in an attempt to look down the corridor. "How's Lizzy?" he asked, glancing up at her when he realised that he could not see very far down the walkway.
"Your sister is insisting that she is well despite scarcely being able to stand, " Tauriel told him, holding the stone loosely by her side. "It took us nearly half an hour just to get down to the cells," she added; though that time had actually been somewhat … pleasant. The woman had been talkative and curious about her, asking her about her life here in the forest. She had then gone on to say that they had passed through Rivendell, the ancient Elven outpost that Tauriel had always wished to see, and had then willingly described the valley and its inhabitants for her.
Kili looked down and smiled at his friends stubbornness. "That's Lizzy for you … just rub some dirt on it," he muttered under his breath. He was half-grinning to himself, his teeth very white and even.
Tauriel frowned, having caught the words but not understood them. "I beg your pardon?"
"If you get injured in a fight or on the road just rub some dirt into it and keep going," he explained casually, lifting his gaze again.
She was horrified. "That is barbaric, the risk of infection -"
He smiled, interrupting her. "It stops the bleeding quickly and I have never heard of a Dwarf dying of poisoned blood," he told her. His expression quickly turned mischievous and he lowered his chin, keeping his eyes flicked up at her. "We are very … hard folk," he added pointedly, his gaze bright with sly, wicked humour.
Deciding not to acknowledge his euphemism, she hid her amusement and simply held the stone out to him on the flat of her palm; seeing that she was not going to respond to his words, he reached through the bars to take it from her, his rough fingers brushing her skin.
There was a brief silence. "I trust that you are being treated well," Tauriel said to continue the conversation, looking down at him.
One corner of his mouth lifted back into an amused smile, no longer looking quite so chastised since she had not risen to his bait. "Nicest dungeon I have ever been in," he assured her cheerfully, tilting his chin to look up at her once more – how strange that she was actually enjoying this interaction with a Dwarf, a member of a race whose history with her own was highly volatile, fraught with blood and violence.
Tauriel felt her own lips lift into a small smile at his words. "Have you been in many?" she asked interestedly; perhaps his mothers assertion that he was reckless was accurate.
"Nah, not really," he admitted, his smile widening to a self-deprecating grin. "Unless being tied up in a troll's sack counts," he added thoughtfully.
She raised a single brow at him, intrigued by what he was saying "It sounds like you have had some interesting adventures," she observed, finding herself wanting to hear more about his life – she envied him in that he had apparently travelled far across Middle Earth.
Kili wrapped his large hands around the bars of his cell. "Maybe I will tell you about them one day," he said, leaning forward as far as the bars allowed.
"Maybe you will," she replied simply. Glancing over her shoulder, she realised that the two minutes she had allowed the woman to speak to the Dwarf-king had passed, and so she decided to put an end to this strange conversation. "I take my leave of you now," she said politely, taking a step backwards and away from the cell door.
He inclined his head respectfully at her, as if she were a noble lady and not just a captain of the guard.
Tauriel walked back down the corridor to the kings' cell. Lizzy was sitting on his bed with the king kneeling before her, both of her hands held tenderly in his own. She was almost loathe to disturb them. "It is time to go," she said firmly, making the couple jump.
Lizzy stood, taking a few shaky steps towards the door. "Please, just another minute," she practically begged as the king also slowly rose to his feet behind her, positively glaring towards the door. She had clearly interrupted something.
She sighed and nodded, moving back into the corridor to allow them a few more moments together. As she did so, the Dwarf with the axe in his head grunted at her. He was standing up behind his bars, holding something out to her. Curious, she stepped closer and saw that it was a whittled wooden bird with a small lever at the side.
"What is this?" Tauriel asked, lifting it carefully from his hand.
He gestured for her to turn the lever – she did so and was surprised to find that the bird flapped its wings. It was simply amazing craftsmanship, reminding her that Dale used to be the famed toy-market of the North. She looked questioningly down at the Dwarf, who then said something incomprehensible to her in their harsh, grunting language.
"He wants you to give it to Lizzy," another voice said from behind her. Turning, she saw the young blond brother also standing up behind his bars, watching her with a serious and contemplative frown on his face.
Once again, the notion that this woman was a part of their clans and families struck her, making her feel oddly … bereft at her current station in life. She had worked extremely hard to rise from her lowly origins to one of the most senior positions in the Kings' Guard, but had sacrificed much in doing so. Aside from Legolas, whom she was close to, she had few friends: there was only a handful of other guards that she was reasonably amicable with and she had no family to speak of. It was never something that had bothered her before.
"I shall," she assured them, her voice shaking almost imperceptibly. She then turned to the Dwarf who had given the bird to her, who was still watching her intently beneath the wild bushiness of his beard and eyebrows. "It is very fine work," she told him softly, being both honest and polite.
She then turned on her heel with the bird in hand, intending to retrieve the woman from the kings' cell and leave the dungeons before her mind grew even more troubled.
After having begged Tauriel for a little more time, Lizzy turned back to Thorin. He too had risen at the Elf's interruption and there was now a few feet of distance between them thanks to her stumbling steps towards the door. There was a long silence, she knew she had to leave but could not find the words to say goodbye.
She swallowed hard and took a hesitant step back towards him. "You told me that if I get the opportunity to escape I should take it regardless of whether or not you're still here … I want you to do the same," she told him plainly, looking into his face. "Don't jeopardise your escape because of me."
Thorin frowned deeply at her. "Elizabeth -"
"Please, Thorin," she interrupted, taking another shaky step forward so that they were right in front of each other again.
He sighed heavily and then reluctantly nodded his agreement, his chin tilted down with his eyes flicked up to look at her intently. They stared at each other for another long moment, then Lizzy simply launched herself at him once more, hugging him tightly for all she was worth. He returned her embrace, though quickly drew back, cupping her cheeks with both hands and forcing her to look at him. "Promise me that you will stay safe," he ordered sternly, piercing her with the intensity of his pale blue gaze.
"I will," she breathed, tilting her head so that their foreheads rested against each other, her hands gripping his wrists as he cupped her face. She closed her eyes, savouring his closeness as their breath mingled in the air between them. Their conversation before Tauriel had interrupted them had filled her with both cautious hope and absolute terror that her feelings for him might actually be returned – she felt like she could have dealt with her unrequited affection, but requited affection was something else entirely, especially since she would be returning to her own world once all this was done. Something so simple as his thumbs sweeping over the palms of her hands had sent her heart pounding, and when he had actually touched her mouth she had been forced to take a deep breath and change the subject, all at once elated and terrified by the Dwarf in front of her.
She kept her eyes closed, afraid to let him go and actually look at him once more, fearful of what emotions she might see in his gaze. Thorin's hands slid slowly from her face, sending shivers down her spine as they drifted down the sides of her bare neck and came to rest heavily on her shoulders.
She felt him move slightly and opened her eyes to find him watching her carefully. He slowly, tentatively, tilted his head towards her, their noses just brushing together. It was almost as if he was testing the waters; her breaths were coming quickly and she couldn't bring herself to protest. He hesitated a moment, and then, seemingly reading something in her face, closed the remaining distance between them and very lightly pressed his mouth to hers. She made a strangled noise of surprise and resignation in the back of her throat before moving to kiss him back, her eyes fluttering closed as her pounding heart leapt in her chest. She could feel the scratch of his beard and the surprising softness of his lips moving agonisingly slowly, almost chastely, against her own. Her hands automatically came up to wrap around his neck, tangling in his long hair to pull him closer.
Lizzy parted her lips in an attempt to deepen the kiss as she surged up to meet him, but Thorin abruptly pushed her away with his hands on her shoulders, both of them breathing hard despite the brevity of the kiss, which had only lasted for scant seconds. "Go," he said quietly, his hands squeezing her shoulders to reassure her that this wasn't a dismissal.
She hesitated nevertheless, her eyes roaming searchingly over his face. She swallowed hard before speaking, unsure of what to say. "I … If I don't see you ..."
"You will," he insisted, then released her shoulders. "Go, Elizabeth," he repeated, his voice low and husky.
She went, taking two unsteady steps away from him towards the barred door. Tauriel was already waiting outside and Lizzy wondered how much she had seen. She unlocked the door for her, her face distinctly impassive. "Here," the Elf said as she stepped out of the cell, thrusting something into her shaking hands. It was a small wooden bird, the same one she had seen Bifur whittling occasionally by the fire when they stopped to make camp.
Lizzy looked down at the bird and slowly turned the lever to make its wings flap – it reminded her of the Eagles who had saved them from the burning trees outside of Goblin Town. It was amazing craftsmanship, beautiful and lovingly made. She raised her gaze, finding Bifur watching her through the bars of his cell and gave him a small, sad smile, letting him know she liked his gift. He smiled back at her from beneath his beard, a warm, loving and unconditionally affectionate look.
Tauriel wordlessly lent down and slipped an arm around her waist to support her, her mind in complete and utter turmoil as she ascended the steps with the imprisoned company behind them. Lizzy glanced over her shoulder as they turned a corner, very aware of Thorin simply watching her through the bars of the cell, his eyes hooded and dark. She suddenly remembered the Eagles strange, cryptic words to her: you can always build a new nest instead of refurbishing the old one. At the time she had not understood the birds' meaning, but now, given Fili's offer, she was slowly coming to realise that come the end of this quest she would have a very big choice before her, one she was no longer certain she could make.
Important authors note
Now normally I try to update every 2 weeks but there is going to be a bit of a wait on the next chapter – I am travelling up the East Coast of Australia for the next month and I am going to be camping for most of it, so that means very VERY limited electricity and internet.
You must picture me in Australian National Parks, sitting around a campfire with a cold beer and jotting down chapter ideas and plans in my notebook. This story is not abandoned, but real life is taking precedent for a while so it will be a month or so before I can update again.
And hey, if ya'll never hear from me again just assume I got lost in a forest and ended up in Middle-Earth ;)
You can follow any updates, sneak peeks, Richard Amitage spam and travel updates on my tumbr ~kindle-the-stars, though again my blog will be pretty inactive due to lack of internet and all that.
Big thank you to my beta Anonymouse1773 and a MASSIVE thank you for all your amazing reviews, you guys rock!