A/N: Hello! I'm defintely not dead. Sorry that this got out so late, I've actually been starting on some of my own personal writing. I haven't found a place to publish it yet, but once I do, if you'd all be interested, you'll definitely be the first to know. Here is the newest Chapter of I'm Back Again! Enjoy!

Thoughts and onomonopias...


For the following week, the only people I saw were Bilbo, Namben, and the soldier who had originally taken me to Thranduil. He brought me my food, stood guard when Namben redressed and tended to my wound, and never spoke a word. His hazel eyes would watch me intently with distrust. By the end of the next week, I was healed, all for a scab. Namben considered this an extraordinary feat considering where I was just two weeks prior. The healer was currently visiting me for the last time.

"Your body repaired itself very fast. You should not need me to continue treatment. To be safe, I packed you a basket with additional herbs and ingredients to make a salve. I would be sure to read the instructions thoroughly first."

Deep honey eyes looked quickly at me and winked. I tamed my face into a neutral look, wondering what the healer had in store for me. A part of me hoped that it was something from Legolas. I hadn't seen him since the trial. Bilbo had told me that it looked like since then, Thranduil has had his guard up for Legolas and the elf who currently was watching Namben and me seemed to interfere right as Legolas was heading towards the dungeons. My hands shook slightly as I opened the note and scanned what was written.

My mood fell when I saw it wasn't from Legolas. It fell even further when I realized it contained everything Bilbo had already told me. I sighed slightly, wanting to wallow in self pity. After two years, I had gotten to see Legolas again. We had bonded and now I can't even see him, even though we're in the same place.

"Wynter."

I heard Bilbo's voice sound in front of my cell door. "What's going on?"

"How is your wound?"

"It hurts to walk on it for too long, but otherwise healed."

"Good. The elves are planning another celebration for next week."

"Unless you're trying to be my fairy godmother, Bilbo, I don't understand why that's important,"

Bilbo slipped off the Ring to look at me inquisitively. "Fairy godmother? What i- oh never mind. Tell me later. The celebration is important because that's when we're all escaping."

I looked over, surprised at the Hobbit. "You're breaking us out? Do you have everything planned?"

He nodded, "Mostly. There are some minor details here and there."

"How are we going to do it?"

"Barrels."

I blinked momentarily at the Hobbit. "Barrels."

"Yes. It's the only way to get us out without drawing too much attention to ourselves. It is also the easiest exit."

I could feel my lips pull into a thin line. Something about this wasn't sitting right with me. I couldn't say no, though. I couldn't stay in this cell.

"Alright."

"Good. Now that you're on board, there might be… just one… one issue."

My eyebrow raised. "What do you mean one issue?"

"The barrels might not be tall enough for you and I don't know if there will be enough for you to have your own."

"Well…" I didn't want to be left behind to rot in a cell. But heavy things sink…

"I guess we'll just have to try it." I replied. Bilbo nodded and was about to leave. I held out my hand to stop him.

"Wait. Take this letter and burn it. I don't want us to escape and have them think Namben had a part in it."

Bilbo grabbed the parchment I was holding out. "I will make sure this is destroyed. Also one last thing Wynter… Fili wanted me to tell you he's glad you're doing better. The Company misses you."

I could feel a small smile tug at my lips. "Tell them I miss them too Bilbo. We'll see them soon."

The week flew by. No one came to visit, no late night stories, not even a dream. My anxiety for the escape heightened as the days went on. The day came to escape and it was all I could do to keep my sanity. What if they think Namben did it? What if Legolas confesses to the aid he provided? What if we get caught?

What if the world burns down?

My snarky thoughts caught up to me as the Company and I waited for the night to deepen…

Bilbo released me after he freed the Company. Ori's face was bright as he saw me.

"Thank Durin you're okay!"

I smiled to him, hearing soft mumbles around the company. We continued up the stairs to leave the dank cells behind. As we exited the guard room, loud noise and festivities could be heard up above still.

"Bilbo, the elves are still awake. We can't escape into Mirkwood."

"Correct," the Hobbit replied, moving towards a downward spiral of stairs. "We must go another way. Follow me."

I could hear Kili behind me whisper to Fili, "He must have found an underground tunnel in his month here!"

Boy, was he going to be sorely disappointed when we reached our destination. Our steps echoed around us as we finally made it to our escape route.

"I don't believe it! We're in the cellars."

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not farther in." Bofur whispered and we padded softly by two snoring elves surrounded by empty bottles.

"I know what I'm doing." Bilbo countered. The hobbit led us to the room where the barrels were. They were longer than expected, wide too. It would still be a tight fit though. I quickly counted the barrels. Fourteen.

"Bilbo, there's only fourteen."

The hobbit looked at me sheepishly. He was about to say something when a gruff voice interrupted him.

"Are you mad? They'll find us!" Dwalin whispered harshly, putting together the pieces of Bilbo's plan. Thorin ordered for Bilbo to be listened to as the dwarves started moving towards the barrels.

"Wynter can share with me," Fili piped behind me, temporarily stopping the dwarves' movements, "She has just recovered, she should be with someone."

The honey-curled hobbit looked at me for approval. "It's probably a good idea. Let me get in first though?"

I went for the bottom row of barrels, fitting myself to where my knees touched the barrel and my chest touched my knees. Fili squeezed beside me as everyone else began filling the barrels, griping about the situation. Bilbo counted us out before nodding. He moved out of our sight.

"What do we do now?" Bofur questioned.

"Hold your breath."

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?"

Bilbo did not say that there was water involved. The ground moved below us and our barrels rolled. Next thing I knew, ice cold water filled part of our barrel. I yelped, immediately shivering.

"Are you alright Wynter?"

I nodded, teething chattering slightly. "Where's Bilbo?"

Moments passed by until I saw the light from up above shine again. I heard the hobbit yell as he made impact with the water, definitely wetter than any of us. He resurfaced, grabbing tightly onto Nori's barrel. Thorin's excitement could be heard as he complimented the Hobbit.

"Well done Master Baggins."

Bilbo waved off the compliment as best he could. His humbleness made awkward by looking like a drowned cat. The current pushed us quickly. Daylight appeared and was quickly growing brighter.

"Hold on!"

My eyes caught Fili's as we were tossed over a waterfall, water filling our barrel and soaking through our clothes. I coughed out that water that forced itself down my nose. All around me everything was bright, my eyes finding it difficult to adjust after being in a dark dungeon for a month. I gripped onto the side of the barrel only to feel every movement the river did. Our barrels bumped against each other and the rock around us. A twisted, unregulated, bumper boat ride of hell.

Fili pulled my hands from the edge, pulling me back towards him. "Be careful, or you will crush your fingers."

"I can't see Fili."

His hands gripped mine tighter, "I forgot you were a Daughter of Man. Your eyes don't adjust the way ours do."

Suddenly the sound of a horn flared around us. My eyes were slowly identifying fuzzy shapes bounding along the river, above us on the rock. I heard Thorin's voice cry out as yelling continued around us. Our barrel stopped, giving me sometime for my eyesight to adjust. We were at a gate on the river.

Of course. I was looking around at the Elven guards when one of them was struck by an arrow. A gasp caught in my throat. The next thing I knew, we were being overrun by orcs. The pack of them massacred the guards at the gate. Each one killed dropping into the river below. The orcs were coming into the river as well, trying to reach us. One grabbed the barrel that me and Fili had claimed.

Quickly the golden haired dwarf pulled me back, immediately going onto attack. He fists slammed into the orc's jaw over and over again. Once that one had been knocked out, Fili grabbed its weapon.

"Kili!" I heard Dwalin he'll behind us. I whipped back to see the dwarf running to reach a lever, doing his best to defend himself with the weapon thrown to him. An orc was behind him though.

"Fili!" I looked back at the golden prince. He took his new attained knife and threw it. It found its mark in the orc's eye. Kili fought his way through, cutting down each new obstacle. Ten steps away from the lever. Five steps. One.

An arrow stuck out of the dwarf's thigh.

"KILI!"

The dark haired prince was grunting in pain as he gripped the lever. He lost his grip, falling back to the ground.

"Oh no…" I muttered under my breath. My eyes scanned the area when next I saw was auburn hair. Tauriel took an arrow, firing it into an orc on his way to Kili. She fought her way to reach the injured dwarf. That was when the other elves appeared. I could see Legolas from down below. He fought with his arrows, but also with his sword. His muscles curved and swayed with each stroke. I had never seen him move like this before...

But now was definitely not the time to ogle the Elven Prince.

I heard the gate open behind me. My head whipped back to see Kili fall back on the ground.

"KILI!" Fili cried from beside me again. The dark prince moved himself to the edge. The arrow was long and looked like it was deep in his thigh. He was about to drop though.

He would have landed perfectly into the barrel if it wasn't for the arrow, which broke on impact with the barrel. Kili cried out in pain as his body settled into the barrel once more. We began floating once more, water officially soaking all of us. My tunic stuck to my skin as I coughed up more water. Just as soon as the water left my lungs, we were under again. And again... And again.

"How many waterfalls are there?"

I felt like throwing up.

Orcs were still following close behind us. Their arrows fired constantly at us, impaling themselves into our barrels. I gripped as tight as I could to the edge while Fili rocked the barrel to block each new projectile.

The elves had caught up. They didn't make a sound as they jumped and ran through the trees. Their arrows never missed their mark.

Orcs came from above us, jumping from trees and attacking from rocks in the middle of the river. Fili had been thrown one of the Orcish swords, brandishing the weapon easily regardless of the uncomfortable position the barrel put us in. Ahead of us, Thorin, Dwalin, and some of the other dwarves chopped at a log holding up several orcs.

It broke right before we drifted through. The logs caused our barrel to roll sideways into the water. Fili and I fought to get it righted once more. I leaned part of my body over the top. I coughed as much water as I could out of my lungs, my body beginning to dry heavy in the process.

That put me in the perfect position to witness some Middle Earth Physics shenanigans. Bombur's barrel was propelled into the air. Bouncing high and knocking over many of our surrounding enemies. The barrel went from one side of the river, bounced to the other side of the river, and then back to the other side. Without breaking until then.

I stared at the magical, nonsensical event that just happened as Boumber jumped back into the barrel that was supposed to have been Bilbo's. Fili turned us so that he was facing down stream once more. The golden prince prepared to fight once more. Suddenly from above Legolas dropped down.

And landed on Dori and Dwalin's heads. He began firing arrows at our surrounding enemies. His feet lifted between the dwarves, dodging elemental obstacles and arrows. My eyes never left him.

Even through the sheer ridiculousness of it all. The Elven prince used the dwarves one last time to make it to the other side. His lithe and nimble body went through and cut down as many Orcs as possible. He kicked himself up the cliff, cutting down one of the Orcs up there. The next one went sword to sword with him.

Then there was another sneaking behind him, axe raised. He was too busy fighting the enemy in front of him to notice.

"LEGOLAS!"

The scream tore through me, terror instantly filling my senses. Another axe flew through the air, cutting down the threat. Relief filled my body.

Until I realized what I just screamed.

The golden elf stood on the edge of the cliff, watching us. His eyes were searching behind me. Then his watery hues met mine. Surprise filled them.

"He definitely heard me…"

We drifted out of sight, my eyes leaving his only until he fell out of sight.

Our barrels continued on until the water stilled. We did what we could to paddle ourselves to shore.

"I think we've outrun the orcs," Bofur shouted across the way.

"Not for long. We've lost the current," Thorin called back, using a long branch as his oar. "Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!"

Fili and I crawled out of our barrel, coughing out our lungs like drowned dogs. I laid out on my back, trying to catch my breath. Fili was on his knees next to me. His amber hues were on the rock before they turned to me.

"Wynter are yo…"

His face turned bright red and he averted his eyes away from me. I looked at him, confused as to why he turned away.

"Bilbo, come give your coat to Wynter," the dwarf prince said instead.

Bilbo looked about as drowned as I felt, but when his eyes landed on me, he jumped up. Quickly he took off his soaked jacket and made his way towards me. I looked down at myself and saw that my white tunic had soaked through. Leaving incredibly little to the imagination. My arms went to my chest to cover myself as Bilbo finally was close enough to place his jacket on my shoulders. Fili has left to check on Kili.

"On your feet," Thorin commanded.

"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding," Fili called after his uncle.

"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving"

I grabbed the jacket closer to me as I stood up. Thorin was right. We did need to keep moving or our one injured dwarf will turn into one dead company.

"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it."

"So then we go around," the Hobbit countered.

"The Orcs will run us down, sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin added to the conversation.

"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin told Fili.

As we were waiting for Fili to finish, a dark shadow came over us. I looked above to see him armed with a bow. His gaze was fixed on Ori. Dwain quickly took a branch and blocked Ori from view. The standoff only lasted a few seconds before Dwalin moved to attack.

FSSSSSSSSH

An arrow embedded itself into the middle of the small stick. Kili went to throw a stone at the man and it was immediately shot from his hands.

"His aim is impeccable…"

He had another arrow drawn. "Do it again… and your dead."

His voice was gruff. Hair to his shoulders and dark. He has black eyes that were dangerous, but you could tell there was warmth to them. His stance was strong and sure.

"He's handsome too…"

Balin took over his role as wise negotiator. "Excuse me but uh… you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken."

The man trained his arrow onto Balin, his stance never wavering.

"That barge over there," Santa Claus continued, barely even phased by being a target. "It wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?"

The man frowned and put away his bow. He went to collect our abandoned barrels as Balin tried to change up his game plan. Quietly the elder dwarf studied him. Finally, that man spoke again.

"What makes you think I will help you?"

"Those boots have seen better days… as has that coat. I have no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

The rest of us gathered together, watching the schmoozing take place.

"A boy and two girls," The bowman barely stopped to answer. Balin continued, clearly confident in continuing his progress.

"And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty."

The handsome boatman stopped momentarily, a small smile on his face. "Aye. She was…"

My eyes widened as I stared down at the rock. Baling didn't mean to, but the air was definitely uncomfortable now.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Oh come on, come on. Enough with the niceties." Dwalin barked out. The man smirked.

"What's your hurry?"

"What's it to you?"

"I would like to know who you are," he rested himself on one of the barrels, "and what you are doing in these lands."

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see out kin in the Iron Hills," Balin ended his lie with a smile that seemed to say 'If you know what I mean'. The man's eyes scanned all of us before landing on me.

"And what of the woman? Surely she has no kin with the dwarves."

Balin stumbled unsure what to say.

"They rescued me," I said softly, trying my best to act my way through this story. "I was being chased by bandits and went to a river to escape. The tide pulled me under. I was half dead when they found me and healed me. I have nowhere else to go, so I travel with them."

His eyebrow cocked at me. "I'm sure others would believe you. No one likes to question a beautiful woman. Unfortunately for you, I do."

My face flushed, both at the compliment and being caught in a lie. Fili moved in front of me. The bargeman continued, "Simple merchants, you say?"

"We'll need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin inquired.

The man looked at our barrels, messing with one the nicks caused by the Orcish arrows. "I know where these barrels come from."

"What of it?" The Dwarf King bristled.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil."

The man looked to leave as Thorin looked to Balin. "Offer him more."

"I'll wager there are more ways to enter that town unseen." Balin quickly countered.

"Aye, but for that, you will need a smuggler."

"For which we will pay double."

The bargeman looked at Balin suspiciously. I'm guessing the thought of providing for his children kicked in though. "I will take you."

We clambered into his boat, most of the company taking the space in front. I sat on the step by the steer. It was freezing. The adrenaline I felt finally wore off, leaving my muscles stiff and shaking. I pulled the jacket tighter to myself. The bowman finished getting everything ready for us to set sail. He pulled down the mast and began guiding us away from the riverbed. His eyes laid temporarily on me.

"To get you in, we will need to use your story. Except I saved you. Give the little creature back his jacket. I have a blanket bow-side. Grab it, wrap yourself, and stay by me."

I nodded, before standing. "What… What is your name?"

"I'm Bard."

"I'm Wynter," I smiled at him and went to give Bilbo his jacket. As I settled back onto my step with the blanket wrapped tightly around me, something occurred to me once again.

I had called Legolas by his name. To his face.

And I still hadn't learned his name in this timeline.

Shit.


A/N: So I didn't know bairns was a real word for referencing children. Thought that was kind of cool.

Also, if you have any recommendations on where I could publish my own writing, that would definitely be very much appreciated! I've been very excited to begin these stories and I would really like to share.

Please review! Thank you so much for your continued support. It really does mean the world to me.

Much Love,

SecretMoon