Title: A Cursed Blessing
Pairing: Bilbo/Thorin
Summary: In time of great change a Prophet is born, selected by one of the Valar. When Bilbo is born, he had the markings of the Prophet but it was not One of the Valar that had chosen him, it was all.
Disclaimer: I am merely borrowing the characters of Tolkien; I do not own them unfortunately…
Author Note: "Bold Italic is Khuzdul", "Italic is Sindarin", ))Bold(( is Black speech and anything between }}…{{ is Green Tongue. Anything Underlined is windspeech or the language of the Eagles.
BB
Bilbo stumbled down the hall feeling nauseous as the dark ghostly world seemed to sway around him. He hated this ring beyond anything he could ever describe but he must carry on, their time was running out and Valar curse it, he needed to find Glorfindel.
It had been near a week – two near three in total he thinks – in this hell and somehow the blasted elf was elusive. He staggered once more as he turned down another hallway, squinting at a bright burning light stood before him. A gasp was torn from his lips as he ripped the ring from his finger, his legs giving out immediately only to be caught by warm hands.
"So it is you that lurked these halls and sends Thranduil mad," Glorfindel stated amused and in relief but Bilbo could hear the concern in his friend's tone as well. The hands that held him tightened a fraction as he struggled to gather his breath and shake away the chill that seemed to settle deep within his bones.
A gasping laugh escaped from Bilbo's lips once the words uttered registered. "Well if he was not such a pompous arse all would be well and I'd not make time to cause such grief."
"Indeed." The word was accompanied with a slight soft chuckle that held an underline of pain. "I've been looking for you Bilbo, for near a week or so now. When the Prince told me that a Company of Dwarves were locked in the dungeon but no word of a hobbit I had thought the worst and went to look for you."
Bilbo's eyes snapped up as he stared at Glorfindel, he could clearly see the fear in the Balrog Slayer and hear the unspoken words. I thought you had made your sacrifice already and I was unable to save you from that fate once more.
"I'm okay, Glorfindel." He tried to reassure but from the darkening of the elf's eyes, he knew that to be untrue.
"No, that ring you carry is a dark twisted thing but I cannot sense what it is though it seems familiar to me… I can see the life draining from you in the pallor of your skin and the darkness under your eyes. Wearing it is killing you and this forest isn't helping." He replied before glancing around and in a swoop of a movement had the hobbit in his arms and making haste towards his rooms, picking up his pace when Bilbo didn't even protest.
He twisted and turned; taking rarely used halls till he reached his chambers and slammed the door shut, locking it with haste before placing Bilbo on the bed in once swift gentle movement. The sun shone brightly down upon Bilbo who felt his eyes slip close at the wondrous feel of warmth on his chilled skin.
"When was the last you ate?" Glorfindel asked as he took in the slight frame, much thinner than he was in Rivendell and much too thin for a hobbit in general. "When you slept?"
"The company have given me some of their meals, I steal some here and there but it's not been enough," Bilbo explained with a yawn. "I cannot recall when I slept last properly without being hidden by the ring, it's a cold world and sometimes I can hear whispers in the shadows."
Glorfindel jerked at that, his eyes scanning the room around him for any sign of threat as his hand clenched tightly where his sword would be but concern lingered in his chest and plans formed in his mind as his gaze landed back on Bilbo once more.
"Then I am to go and fetch your food and when you eat your fill, you are going to rest." Glorfindel started and cut the prophet off when he went to protest. "I am locking the door behind me, so no one will disturb you till I return but you need to rest. When you have slept without fear and hunger then we will come up with a plan for you and the others to escape."
Bilbo huffed as Glorfindel left the room and true to his word, locked the door behind him. Though Bilbo couldn't deny that he wasn't pleased or more relaxed at the fact. His stomach rumbled and the familiar ache of hunger clawed at his spine, it was something he, unfortunately, had come accustomed to on this quest. He sighed as he cast a critical eye over his form in the viewing piece, his clothing in tatters, his belt synched well past the premade holes and his hair, both on his feet and his head, were a mess.
It wasn't long before the sound of the door unlocking had Bilbo reaching for the ring, only to cast that silly thought aside with a shake of his head as he turned to see Glorfindel arrive with a platter of food. Though, that thought didn't last long as he saw the young prince behind him.
"Ease Bilbo, he comes to help," Glorfindel stated calmly as he placed the first platter down on the nearest table.
Bilbo eyed the prince warily. "Why?"
"Because my father has become… more unreasonable since the death of my mother. My brothers and I have done all we can to make him see reason but so far nothing has worked. Neither of us agrees with what he has done to the dwarves, for they were just travelling along the elven road like many others before them." Legolas explained with a grimace and it was then that showed Bilbo how old he really was.
Elves were ones to master their facial expressions to be minimal.
Glorfindel sighed exasperatedly as he watched the showdown between the two. "He wishes to help you all escape and considering he is one of the three princes; he would know this realm better than I."
Bilbo hummed as he began to eat, his eyes never leaving the elf before him as he used Nienna, Mandos and Vaire's gifts. He could see there was no malicious intent, he truly was worried for his father and realm. He could also see what would have been and would be if Bilbo didn't destroy the ring, yet… he could not allow that path to be spun and woven.
He knew his purpose now, why he was born with the gifts of all the Valar.
"Very well," Bilbo stated after a moment, his eyes taking in each fidget the young prince did the longer he stared. "What plans have you come up with?"
Legolas smiled in a way that had a sense of thrill run down Bilbo's spine.
"Well cilmë-Ilúvatáren…"
BB
Bilbo crept through the hallways of the palace with ease, avoiding every guard and came to a stop where the doors to the dungeon were. He cast a glance down and then in both directions as he sought out the correct path, chuckling as he did when the sound of the feast reached his ears.
Legolas had a marvellous plan and Bilbo was going to love every second of it when the Company found out about it.
Thankfully Glorfindel decided to slowly bring the companies weapons down into the cellar where the barrels of their escape were and hid them in the guise of finding the best wine for their king, and of course, no one would suspect the mighty Balrog slayer of mischief.
"Bilbo," Legolas's voice calls out softly, causing the hobbit to pause and blink back the surprise.
"You're not supposed to be here." He stated calmly, eyes shooting down the hall nervously.
Legolas held up a small bag, "I just slipped away but I thought perhaps your company would like their family beads back. My father had no right to take them and I have only now just managed to get them back."
"Oh…" Bilbo trailed off as he took the bag. "Thank you, they will appreciate this, now go before someone spots us."
"Na lû e-govaned vîn, cilmë-Ilúvatáren."
With a deep breath and a prayer for patience as the young prince bowed and made haste back to the feast, Bilbo moved down into the depths of the dungeon, his feet telling him which way to go with Mahal's guidance. How ironic that the cells of what once was Greenwood, that now held the Dwarrow of Erebor were made by their forbearers.
The first Dwarrow he came across was Dori, his usual pristine silver hair a mess. Bilbo watched for a moment as the dwarf paced back and forth muttering under his breath about the elves and conditions of their food before slipping the ring on his finger with a shudder.
The world was ice cold and nauseating as usual, but Bilbo must acquire the keys from the guards before releasing his friends. Each cell he passed he grew angrier and angrier over the treatment of his Dwarrow and in time Thranduil will answer for his actions but now wasn't the time.
Soft snores had Bilbo pausing at the door to the cellar as he reached the bottom, squinting into the brilliant light of Glorfindel, cursing softly as he yanked the ring off and glared at the elf.
"Now, now Bilbo." Glorfindel chuckled as he tossed the keys over. "The king thinks I am somewhere else, thought I'd save you the trouble by adding a little sleeping draught to the guards' wines and bring you this."
The bottle of vinegar in Glorfindel's hands had his Took blood singing in wicked glee. It took him less than a moment to find the Kings favourite cask of wine and tip the contents of the bottle into it without blinking. "He's not going to be very happy."
Glorfindel chuckled. "No, I suppose he won't be. You better hurry before the next set of guards come down to do their rounds. Specifically, the captain of the guard, she has a fascination with one of the younglings and comes when time permits her."
This hurried Bilbo's steps as he made his way back up to the Dwarrow, slipping the ring on as he went.
"I'll wager the suns on the rise. It must be nearly dawn." Bofur sighed defeated.
"We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori asked sadly as he turned away from the door and to his brother's side. Bilbo could not help but frown at the disheartened replies before yanking off his ring and sticking his head in front of the first cell, Thorin's cell to be precise.
"Not stuck in here, you're not!" he told them, holding the keys up with a small smile and giving them a jingle as he shoved the ring back in his pocket.
Thorin's eyes widened as he jumped to his feet. "Bilbo! I had thought you to be captured and killed!" He called out, alerting the others that had not heard him.
"Bilbo!" Balin cheered causing the hobbit to scowl and shush them all.
Once every door was open and the Dwarrow greeted him in some way did Bilbo move them along, telling Kíli
"Not that way, down here. Follow me." He hissed as they began to make their way up into the king's domain, the opposite direction they needed to go. He quickly led them down to the cellars, pausing as one of the elves woke shortly before collapsing back into their drunken stupor.
Thank the vala for sleeping drought.
"I don't believe it; we're in the cellars!" Kíli cried out in anger as he took a look around the room. The others began to grumble their annoyance causing Bilbo to snap.
"I've spent Valar knows how long skulking about these blasted halls till I found Glorfindel to help me rescue you all and gather your things, now get in the barrels!" He hissed as he pointed to the barrels with their weapons ready in them.
Dwalin glanced between the wooden barrels and the hobbit in disbelief. "Are you mad?! They'll find us!"
"No, they won't, I promise but you need to get. In. the. Barrels!" Bilbo snarled and his voice seemed to vibrate with a power the Dwarrow were unfamiliar with.
Thorin cast a look at his One and then to the others. "Do as he says, you know it is unwise to go against a prophet."
No more words were said as they followed their kings' command, each one ignoring the unimpressed look upon the hobbit's face. Muttered curses in a language they didn't know escaped the hobbit's lips as he quickly counted for everyone, making sure each had their weapons and that there was a barrel for him as well.
"Now what do we do?" Bofur asked as he stuck his head out, the others following suit and blinking as the hobbit grinned with all teeth.
"Hold your breath." He commanded before pushing the lever and watched as the door to the river began to tilt, sending them all into the abyss before closing once more.
An alarm sounded above him that had him scurrying to the edge of the door, his hands patting at all the items he had on his person to double-check they were there. Everyone groaned and cried out as they hit the water hard, no one happy at the prospect of being wet but they did not question it.
"Hold! Wait for the Prophet!" Thorin ordered before throwing his hands out and stopping them from floating away with the aid of Dwalin and Kíli.
They all eyed the wooden planks above as soft thumping noises sounded as Bilbo came sliding down, crashing into the water.
"Well done Master Baggins," Thorin smirked before turning around and began to paddle his way out of the cave. "HOLD ON!" He yelled as he saw the rapids begin before him and prayed to Mahal that this was going to be an easy trip.
The hurtled uncontrollably down the rapids, hitting each other and the rock faces, they were close to the exit of the gate when the horn sounded. Horror and annoyance filled each dwarf as the elf closed the gates upon them, trapping them in the river and under the bridge.
"NO!" Thorin yelled before his eyes widened as the heavily armed Elf lurched forward, a black arrow sticking from his neck. Several growling orcs swarmed over the guard post, killing the elves before they even had the chance to draw their weapons. Multitudes of orcs run in from the bushes, with Bolg standing upon the hilltop.
Kíli glanced up as the others around them fought off the orcs, his eyes spying the leaver and groaned. His brother was going to kill him, his uncle and so was every other member he thought as he pushed himself out of his barrel and made his way towards it. He needed to get them out of here before they were all slaughtered.
"Kíli!" Dwalin called, throwing the sword he had taken from the orc to the young prince.
Bilbo felt Mando's gift kick in as he watched the young prince fight his way to the lever, could see the faint line of an arrow and the blackness crawl up to consume his very being.
"Dori, toss me!" Bilbo commanded in a panic. "Toss me now!"
Dori didn't hesitate for a moment as he grasped the tattered cloak and threw the prophet towards Kíli, watching in horror as an arrow meant for the prince embed itself into the shoulder of the hobbit.
"BILBO NO!" Thorin screamed.
"Catch him!" Dwalin snarled as he struggled to get out of the barrel, turning to see Nori reach up with the help of Gloin to pull the hobbit into his barrel.
Glorfindel watched as the Black Arrow pierced through the hobbit sending him sprawling. A white rage overtook him as he let his arrows fly, his vision tunnelling till all he could see was another of his friends dying.
The Dwarrow watched in stunned awe as the Balrog slayer let loose a mighty roar and seemed to glow with power and he slaughtered every orc that fell in the path of his deadly blade.
"Kíli, the lever… now!" Thorin ordered as he turned his eyes to see Nori caring for Bilbo who was unconscious and bleeding, he could barely hear those around him speaking or even notice that Oin was passing Nori something.
Please… Mahal, do not let him die… he deserves more than this… please…
He prayed to his maker as the gate opened and he dropped down into the depths of the river, his One gone from his view.
Author Note: Well shit, it's been a long time and I apologise. I honestly didn't know how I was going to write this chapter as I've written it over and over again. Also I could have sworn that I read somewhere that Legolas had brothers, so that's what I'm going to add here.
Na lû e-govaned vîn, cilmë-Ilúvatáren - Until next we meet, chosen of Ilúvatar