CHAPTER 37 - THE WOODLAND REALM

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Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit or any of the characters/story lines that belong to it, all credit goes to J.R.R. Tolkien, in all his glory.

It took two weeks before Bilbo showed himself once again in front of Hayden and Thorin's cell.

Hayden felt like she was slowly going insane being locked up in this tiny space for such a long time; the only thing that kept her sane was having Thorin with her. The guards brought in regular meals and drinks for them, but she still felt disgusting. She hadn't had a bath since… well it had been too long a time to put it simply.

The only positive she could take from the situation was that she could spend time with Thorin alone, which was something they had rarely had. She found herself talking with him about absolutely everything she hadn't had a chance to while in England, even things she had never told anyone else, and he talked to her about just as much. Quite often they found themselves laughing together, and a lot of the time it was for no reason at all, but because they were both just so at peace being with only one another.

However, they were particularly careful not to let their being together alone lead to anything else, despite how tempting it was for them both. They knew it was too risky to chance being caught 'in the act,' but that didn't stop them from being more intimate than they had been since leaving Beorn's cabin.

It was around midday on their thirteenth day of being imprisoned (Hayden was counting) when she finally decided to voice her dreams that had not stopped occurring since their first night in Mirkwood.

Thorin was leaning with his back against the wall, and she was lying sideways with her head resting on his lap, looking up at the grey ceiling. Her hands were rested on her stomach, which had grown ever so slightly, and she doubted it was due to weight gain given how little she ate.

"Thorin?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember our first night in Mirkwood… when I woke up in that panic?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, I think I remember that… when you woke gasping another man's name – how could I forget?"

"Oh it wasn't like that," she growled through a smile, "Do you remember the name?"

"Was it Harry? Or Henry?"

"Harvey."

"Yes that's right. Why do you ask?"

"Have I… Have I ever told you how my parents died?"

Thorin frowned and looked down to her curiously, his hand winding gently through her hair.

"No, I do not think you have."

"I was two years old," she began, subconsciously biting her lip out of nerves; this was the first time she had ever voiced her parent's deaths to anyone out loud, "And we were on a rather large bus-"

"Bus?"

"It's like a car, only bigger and seats more people," she explained, "Anyway we were on a bus that was taking all the Royal Navy recruits to the airport."

"Your father?"

"Yes, my father," she nodded, "We were almost at the airport when a truck collided with the bus… from what I heard the only reason I survived was because my parents sheltered me from the fire and I was able to be rescued… not uninjured though."

She sat up off Thorin, spinning around to face him and lifting up the side of her top and gesturing to a long thin white scar on her hip that he had never noticed before.

"It's where a piece of metal cut into me," she explained, letting her top fall over the scar again.

"So my parents died, along with half of the other passengers onboard and… and Harvey."

She bit her lip harder and looked to the ground, wondering why she had brought this up in the first place.

"Who is Harvey?" Thorin asked, taking her hand in his.

"Harvey…" she began and took a deep breath to stop her voice from shaking, "Harvey… was my twin brother."

Thorin raised his eyebrows and blinked, like it was the last thing he was expecting to hear.

"You have a brother?"

"Had a brother, yes, a twin," she nodded, "He was killed along with my parents and… I never told anyone about him. No one even knows he existed."

"Why?" he frowned.

"Because… because people already know you have parents, even if you're an orphan you had them at some point, it's a given," she said heavily, "But no one needs to know you had a brother… it's just more fuel for sympathy. Besides it was easier for me to pretend that Harvey never existed… just one less reminder that I was alone."

Thorin stayed silent and his grip on her hand tightened.

"No one's life is better without their brother," he said quietly.

She placed her other hand on his and gently rubbed her thumb over it, noticing he was slightly teary.

"I didn't mean to upset you," she said softly.

"You didn't," he smiled weakly to her, "Please, continue."

"I only brought it up because of the dreams," she said.

"Right, the dreams – I must admit I am glad it is only your brother's name you are calling out in your sleep," Thorin's smirk returned.

Hayden pursed her lips at him but smiled, "It's so strange… I fall asleep and I hear Galadriel's voice."

"Lady Galadriel?"

"Yes, and she's calling my name and repeating 'they are waiting for you in the dungeons of the Great Wyrm,'" Hayden continued.

"The Great Wyrm… but that sounds like-"

"Smaug I know," she frowned, "Then it changes to black and all I can hear are voices and… it's so crazy, but I think…"

"Yes?"

"I think the voices are my parents."

Thorin raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"It's crazy isn't it? I mean I never even knew my parents."

"It's not entirely impossible," Thorin said considerately, "You were two when they died, perhaps some part of your mind retained their voices… what exactly were they saying?"

"I think… I think it was their last conversation on the bus before they died."

"Oh," Thorin frowned.

"I memorized the conversation… and their voices," she smiled to herself, looking down at her hands, "My father kept saying Harvey would grow up to be in the army just like him, and my mother would say she would be happy if I became an architect…"

Thorin smiled and he watched Hayden carefully, noticing for the first time she was smiling when she talked about her parents, and it made him smile.

"I just don't understand why it's all coming back to me now," she shook her head, waking up from her reverie, "And why Galadriel keeps appearing aswell."

"It is strange…" Thorin trailed off deep in thought.

"Hayden! Thorin!"

"Bilbo," Hayden grinned, leaping from the ground and running to the door in her excitement, "Bilbo, is it you?"

"Yes it's me," Bilbo's whisper appeared near the door.

"Oh I'm so glad you're safe, we were worrying," she sighed in relief.

"I'm fine. And more importantly, I have a plan – I am positive it will work," Bilbo said, and the confidence in his voice made her smile.

"You are sure?" Thorin asked, standing up for the first time in a long time and limping over to the door.

"As sure as I can be," Bilbo said, "Now here is the plan…"

And so Bilbo explained his plan to Hayden and Thorin, and although she already knew what was to happen, she listened closely to every word Bilbo had to say, just to be sure there were no faults in the plan. But to her, everything sounded like it would run smoothly.

That night there was to be a party of sorts held by King Thranduil, and the wood-elves, being quite fond of wine, would be supplied large barrels of the beverage. Bilbo had a hunch that the wine would not last too long, so when the barrels were to be sent back to Lake-town, the Company would sneak into them to escape from the magical barriers of the Woodland Realm.

"I am not so sure," Thorin frowned, "It sounds too dangerous..."

"Of course it is, but it's our only chance of escaping," Bilbo said with a sigh, "I will return here with the dwarves soon enough."

"As long as it get's us out of here," Hayden agreed.

"And Master Baggins," Thorin called out to the empty corridor.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," he smiled, "Perhaps Gandalf was right about you after all."

"I'd like to think so," and with that Bilbo's footsteps disappeared once again down the corridor.

"Oh thank god, we're getting out of here," Hayden breathed out in relief with a smile, leaning against the door.

"I'm going to miss spending so much time with you," Thorin smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him.

Hayden smiled and rubbed her hands over his chest. "I know… but you know as soon we leave this place we can spend some real time together," she flirted.

"Mm, I can hardly wait," he purred, pushing her up against the door. She lifted her leg up and rubbed the pad of her foot against his leg, teasingly biting the bottom of his lip.

"Don't make this harder than it already is, woman," he growled, pushing dangerously close to her.

"Any other time I might have pushed you away for saying that but right now I just find it really hot," she said breathlessly, and he chuckled before catching her lips with his in a deep kiss.

"We should get some rest before we have to leave," Hayden reluctantly broke away from him.

"Can't we do something else?" he moaned, kissing and nipping at her neck.

"Sure… We could paint a masterpiece? Or go out to dinner with the psychotic elf who's holding us captive?" she smirked.

"Oh now psychotic seems a little strong a word don't you think?"

Hayden jumped away from the door like it was on fire and Thorin stepped protectively in front of her, holding her back with his hand as the door to the cell swung open, revealing Thranduil in all his glory.

The elf King wore a smug smirk on his ageless face as he strode arrogantly into the cell, raising his eyebrows at Thorin.

"Well there's no need to look so surprised," Thranduil mused lightly, "You should have known I would pay you a visit sooner or later."

"What do you want?" Thorin growled.

"Oh now that's no attitude for dwarven royalty – I did keep you alive did I not?" Thranduil took a few daring steps closer and Thorin's grip on Hayden's arm tightened.

"I have come to request the company of your beautiful lover, Thorin Oakenshield," Thranduil smiled wickedly, looking slightly over Thorin's shoulder to Hayden, who had raised her eyebrows.

When they didn't reply Thranduil continued, speaking as if he was having a casual conversation with good friends.

"And now you ask 'but why, Thranduil King'?" Thranduil grinned elegantly, "Well you see I am hosting a party tonight for my subjects; there will be food, music, wine – oh, but Hayden will not be drinking in her condition of course – and I would be absolutely delighted if Miss Hayden would join me."

Hayden stared blankly for a moment and couldn't help herself – she gave a short burst of laughter, which shocked both men.

"You're kidding?" she laughed, "You want me to go to a party with you after you kept me locked in a cell?"

"It was only for a week," Thranduil waved a casual hand.

"Try twelve days and fourteen hours," she said, stepping beside Thorin to face the elf.

"Oh she's a smart one, and funny too," Thranduil smirked to Thorin, "I can tell what you see in her… though what she sees in you is unclear to me-"

"Hey no one gets to insult Thorin but me," she interrupted him, and then frowned really Hayden that was the best retort you could come up with? "Why do you want me there anyway?"

"Would you rather spend this blessed night in a dreary cell with a dwarf?" Thranduil smirked, but Hayden shrugged and nodded.

"Yeah I think I would."

"I'm afraid you do not have much of a choice, my dear," Thranduil continued to smirk wickedly, "You see I only asked to be polite. But you will attend this party. I shall send someone in a few hours to help clean you up… no guest of mine will be seen like that."

"And what if I refuse to go?" she crossed her arms defiantly and stared him down as best she could, but his eyes were extremely piercing.

"You will come," Thranduil said firmly, "Or you will watch your precious King die a slow painful death."

With that the elven King exited the cell, slamming the door shut behind him.

"No one gets to insult Thorin but me?" Thorin repeated, raising his eyebrows at her.

"Not my best line," she mumbled, biting her lip, "Thorin this is going to ruin everything, what are we going to do? How are we going to tell Bilbo? How-?"

"Shh," Thorin said, soothingly rubbing his hands along her arms, "We will figure this out – we always do."

"Right… Okay… You're right, it'll- it'll be fine…" she took deep breaths trying to calm herself.

"When they come for you, you will go to the party," Thorin explained, "When Bilbo sets me free I will find you and take you to the barrels and we will meet the others there – do you understand?"

"Yeah okay," she nodded, still taking deep breaths, "We can do this… we can do this… we can do this, can't we?"

"Yes we can," Thorin said confidently, "And remember Hayden – no harm will come to you or our baby, I promise."

"Okay," she smiled and kissed him, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Hayden spent the next few hours trying her best not to panic. She was more nervous than she had ever been on this journey, and it was only because, for once, Hayden Parker had no idea what was going to happen.

"Hayden Parker?"

Hayden and Thorin stood up as someone entered the cell, and Hayden inwardly groaned when she saw it was the elf woman who had so kindly offered to heal Thorin while his shirt was off.

"I've come to prepare you for the King's party," the elf woman said.

"Great, I can hardly control my excitement," Hayden muttered bitterly.

"I will wait outside for you to join me," the elf said, looking from Thorin to Hayden and quickly departing the cell.

"You remember our plan?" Thorin asked her, stroking the ends of her hair that hung over her shoulder.

"Yes – go with Thranduil, wait for you to find me… and stay away from the wine," she added with a smirk.

"Good… and if I do not come by the end of the night do not try to escape – I will find you no matter what it takes," he said confidently.

"Got it," she nodded nervously, "But please try come by the end of the night."

He smiled and chuckled softly, running his hand up her neck through her hair and kissing her one last time. She wrapped her arms around his waist and deepened their kiss for a few more moments, so that when she broke away she did so as slowly as possible and rather reluctantly.

"I will see you soon, my love," Thorin whispered, giving her one last kiss.

"Not soon enough," she sighed, and broke away from his arms.

"And Hayden," Thorin called out, "If any man lays a hand on you – I will kill them."

"I don't doubt that," she smiled, "But I'm pregnant and in extreme need of a bath – so they're gonna have to escape me first."

Thorin grinned and she took one last look at him, waving a miserable goodbye before the cell door closed, separating them.

Stay tuned to see what happens next in Chapter 38 of An Unexpected Journey!