Hello once again everyone. This chapter is a little early because I am supposed to be going out tomorrow and I don't want to miss uploading so since I was sitting down to write the first chapter of Battle of the Five Armies I reminded myself to upload it.
With that news, I am happy to report I have a lot of chapters written ahead now so when I start back at college I should not fall woefully behind in uploading chapters. Sadly though as I just started Battle of the Five Armies, this story will be over for me sooner than it will be for you. Who know, I'm not sure where I will end up ending it. I might decide to write a lot of life in Erebor.
As always, anything taken like descriptions or dialogue directly from the Hobbit belong to J.R.R. Tolkien.
Please enjoy. There is plenty more where that came from.
Third Person POV
After Adaira was dragged away from them, the dwarves were pushed, protesting, into several cells, each of them fighting the Elves that had a hold on them. Dwalin was dragged unconscious into a cell and unceremoniously dropped into it, the door locked and checked several times to ensure that there was no possibility that he could escape. The Elves, having seen how he had fought were afraid of him, those that were smart at least.
"Let us out of here!" Gloin shouted as he shook the bars to his cell which he had just been tossed inside of.
"Get off me!" Dori protested the grip the Elf had on his upper arm as he was pushed into a cell. The Elf in charge of Fili found another large dagger hidden in his coat as he stowed him into a cell and Fili sighed in frustration as he was now fully disarmed.
"Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers," Kili asked the red haired Elf maiden who had saved him as she locked him into a different cell from his brother. At least he hope she was an Elf maiden. She looked like it.
"Or nothing," She told him, unamused and she haughtily slammed the cell door shut and walked away, as Kili looked after her and smiled a little. Legolas stopped Tauriel on her way out of the prison corridor, a frown on his face.
"I Nogoth amman e tîr gin? Tauriel?" (Why does the Dwarf stare at you, Tauriel?) Legolas demanded of his guard captain and Tauriel turned to him and merely raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Ú-dangada?" (Who can say?) She answered him and she looked away from Legolas smiling a little. "E orchal be Nogoth." (He's quite tall for a Dwarf.) She commented and realizing what she had just said she quickly looked at Legolas. "Pedithig?" (Do you not think?) She asked him before she walked away from the Prince.
"Orchal eb vui, mal uvanui en," (Taller than some, but no less ugly.) Legolas addressed her as Tauriel walked away from him and Legolas and Kili glared at one another.
Several of the dwarves began throwing themselves at their cell doors, grunting in their effort and Dwalin came too at this moment, roaring in anger upon awakening, scaring the Elves who were still near his cell. They quickly hurried away as he got to his feet and threw himself against the bars to his cell.
"Adaira!" Dwalin shouted in anger and grief, the pain of his repeated attacks to the bars registering as he fought to get to his wife. He needed to get to her, to protect her. It was his duty as her husband and he had already failed her too many times. "ADAIRA!" Dwalin roared again, crashing into the bars once more.
"Leave it!" Balin shouted, hoping that his brother would listen to him and calm himself. "There's no way out. This is no Orc dungeon; these are the halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent," Balin told the others before he called out to his brother. "Adaira wouldn't want you to hurt yourself trying to get to her," Balin called to his brother who swore and cursed loudly, but Balin heard him give up in his efforts for now.
Dwalin sank to the floor of his cell and held his head between his hands, tears welling up in his eyes which he angrily wiped away. His wife was depending on him to protect her and he couldn't even do that. Dwalin looked out the bars of his cell and vowed that if he saw a chance, he would get to her by any means necessary.
Meanwhile, Legolas personally escorted Thorin and Lyssaria through the Woodland Realm. Lyssaria stared in wonder at the homeland of her mother, finding it cold and lacking beauty. Before long they came to a door and Legolas knocked thrice upon the door, waiting for but a moment before pushing open the doors and entering through them.
The guards holding her and Thorin forced them to walk forward and they were brought into an ostentatious looking room. High up on a pedestal sat a throne in which sat the King of the Woodland Realm, Thranduil. Lyssaria could not help but snort. Of course he would want to lord over those he thought beneath him. Thorin glared at Thranduil who stared almost boredly as they were brought before the throne.
"Adar, we routed out the spiders in the Western part of the woods. We captured a company of dwarves amongst them and this elleth. She claims to be the daughter of Idriel," Legolas informed his father the King whose eyebrow raised further towards his hairline and he raised a hand and waved it forward and the Elves who had a hold on Lyssaria forced her forward in front of him.
She stared up at the King with a glare on her face, her head held high and her shoulders back as she raised herself to her full height. The King seemed to inspect her for several long moments before he finally spoke, his piercing blue eyes staring through her.
"Idriel was banished from the Woodland Realm," The King finally spoke and Lyssaria raised her eyebrow slightly at his words.
"Banished for her love of my father if I remember correctly," Lyssaria quipped coldly and Thranduil's eyes narrowed at her.
"I did not give you permission to speak, Dwarf," Thranduil told her, his voice cold and dangerous. "Your mother betrayed her kin when she sided with the enemy and defiled her body with a Dwarf. I see her in you, halfbreed. You are not welcome here, daughter of Idriel or not," Thranduil told her as he stared down at her and Lyssaria growled under her breath.
"Betrayed her kin with the enemy? I see no enemy, but those you create. Just because your sister did not share the prejudices you did, Uncle…," Lyssaria said, spitting the word uncle with venom before continuing, Thorin's eyes widening in surprise before he glared at both Elves, having been duped into beginning to listen to the girl's story. "You did not need to banish her from her home. You should know if you even care. My mother is dead," Lyssaria informed the King who did not even look saddened by the news.
"I told her the Dwarf would be the death of her," Thranduil said, before he waved his hand once more. "If your mother's banishment seemed unclear to you, you are also unwelcome here in the Woodland Realm. I will not have a Halfbreed claim any kinship to the royal line. Take her to the dungeons and out of my sight," Thranduil ordered and the Elves began to pull her away from the throne.
"I can walk myself!" Lyssaria shouted at them as they pulled on her arms and she swore at them in Khuzdul before squaring her shoulders and turning around as she brushed her long hair over her shoulder and followed the Elves out of the throne room.
King Thranduil turned his attention to Thorin then, studying the Dwarf for a moment as he was forced forward several steps until he was before the throne. Thranduil regarded him with that almost bored countenance as he first had Lyssaria and he remained silent for several long moments before he began speaking. Thorin glared up at him as he did so, feeling murderous as he watched the oathbreaker who had betrayed his people and left them for dead.
"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive: attempted burglary, or something of that ilk," Thranduil said as he looked closely at Thorin and Thorin bristled under Thranduil's words as the guards holding him, released their hold on him as Thranduil waved his hand.
"You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule: the King's Jewel, the Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help," Thranduil offered Thorin who had no choice in that situation, but to see what he would offer them. His Company had been captured, they were starving and no one left the Woodland Realm without the consent of the King.
"I am listening," Thorin told Thranduil, playing along, for now.
I will let you go, if you but return what is mine," Thranduil told him and Thorin turned and slowly started walking away from Thranduil's gaze to hide his face as he thought less his emotions betrayed him.
"A favor for a favor," Thorin said, knowing what it was that Thranduil wanted, the white gems which he had been refused by Thror.
"You have my word. One king to another," Thranduil assured him and Thorin stopped walking at this the ire in him growing. His word. Hadn't Thranduil given them his word to come to the aid of Durin's line? Hadn't Thranduil broken his word? Thranduil's word meant nothing. Still facing away from Thranduil he spoke, feeling his anger rising with each word he said.
"I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word should the end of all days be upon us!" Thorin said dangerously his voice growing louder with each word he spoke until he was shouting and he spun around and pointed at Thranduil. "You who lack all honor!" He shouted at Thranduil. "I've seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help, but you turned your back. You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us!" Thorin accused Thranduil of his betrayal. "Imrid amrad ursul!" (Die a death of flames!) Thorin cursed him and Thranduil leapt down from his throne and put his face right in front of Thorin's.
"Do not talk to me of dragon fire. I know its wrath and ruin. I have faced the great serpents of the north," Thranduil told Thorin angrily and as he spoke, his face contorted, an enchantment falling away and revealing that the left side of his face was covered with burns and scars from his past encounters with dragons. His left eye was milky and unseeing and as he drew away from Thorin his face returned to normal.
"I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen," Thranduil said, turning and walking up the steps to his throne. "You are just like him," Thranduil accused and he motioned and his guards grabbed Thorin once more. "Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I am patient. I can wait," Thranduil told Thorin before he sat down once more upon his throne and Legolas stepped forward towards the throne.
"Adar, Oakenshield has a female Dwarf amongst his Company. The wife of one of his men," Legolas informed his father and Thranduil's eyebrow raised at that and he turned his attention to Thorin once more as a pit formed in Thorin's stomach at the mention of Adaira.
"A darrowdam? I thought dwarves were supposed to protect their women. Why would you allow one to join you on such a quest?" Thranduil demanded, but Thorin remained silent, refusing to answer and Thranduil turned back to his son.
"Did you learn her name?" Thranduil inquired and Legolas shook his head.
"No, but she insulted me several times. I've had her separated from the others," Legolas informed his father and Thranduil smirked as he turned back to Thorin.
"Bring her to me. Perhaps she will be more inclined to tell me something with the right persuasion," Thranduil told his son who bowed to his father before he smiled and shot a smirk at Thorin before leaving the throne room to retrieve Adaria.
"Leave her out of this Thranduil," Thorin said before he could stop himself and Thranduil's smirk grew wider.
"So, she is of importance to you?" Thranduil asked him and Thorin shut his mouth up tight once more cursing himself for giving that much away. "I could leave her out of this...but you would not agree to our deal. Take him away," Thranduil told his guards who began dragging Thorin away.
"Ish kakhfê ai'd dur rugnu! You and all your kin!" Thorin shouted as he was dragged out of the throne room by Thranduil's guards.
On the way down to the dungeons, Thorin crossed paths with the King's son and the two guards who were forcing Adaira to walk between them. Thorin and Adaira locked gazes and he went to speak but she shook her head before flicking her gaze to Legolas who was watching them. Thorin nodded and squared his shoulders turning his head away from her.
He had to trust now that Adaira would not give herself away to Thranduil. If he knew who she truly was….They would not bargain with that pointy eared tree shagger. Thorin knew that Adaira would keep the secrets of their quest to herself,but that was not what he was worried about. He was worried about what Thranduil wished to know about her and how he intended to get that information from her. Down in the dungeons he was thrown into a cell beside Balin and the other dwarves and his jailer walked away with a ring of jangling keys.
"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asked Thorin as soon as the Elf disappeared.
"He did. I told him he could go 'Ish kakhfê ai'd dur rugnu!' (The rough translation is: Wipe my excrement on the faces of the naked jawed ones) him and all his kin!" Thorin informed Balin and upon hearing this, Balin closed his eyes and sighed wearily in frustration.
"Well...that's it, then. A deal was our only hope," Balin said, frustrated that Thorin couldn't just come to some agreement with Thranduil. Thorin had never been big on diplomacy, but now he had ruined any chance of them convincing Thranduil to release them.
"Not our only hope," Thorin told Balin before he sighed deeply. "Dwalin," He called out and Dwalin rose to his feet and grasped the bars of his cell. He was close to Thorin.
"Aye?" Dwalin asked, hearing the frustration and worry in Thorin's voice.
"I saw Adaira. She's been brought before Thranduil," Thorin informed Dwalin who swore loudly at the news.
"What could Thranduil want with her?" Balin asked in confusion and Thorin sighed deeply.
"He knows we value our women. Having one amongst our Company drew his attention," Thorin informed his advisor. "The Elf that travelled with us...she's Thranduil's niece," Thorin spat and Balin nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"She said she was of noble birth," Balin said as Dwalin backed away from the bars of his cell and retreated into the back of the cell which was carved from rock and sank back down to the floor. "Adaira will be alright. She's faced far worse than Thranduil," Balin called out, trying to convince his brother of this.
"Aye," Dwalin said to himself, his voice hoarse before he slammed his fist into the wall several times, punching it over and over to let out his rage. He heard a crack and felt it pop before a searing pain shot through his knuckles and hand and he punched the wall thrice more before stopping. He looked down at his now badly misshapen knuckles and grinned, glad to feel the pain.
Adaira's POV
I hadn't been in my cell long, just long enough to pace back and forth and try to look for any weaknesses in the bars before the smiling face of Legolas, racist and asshole, showed up outside the bars. He ordered someone to unlock my cell and then I was pulled from it and once more pushed and pulled and forced to walk between two Elves who kept a tight grip on my upper arms.
I was led out of the dungeons and I began to wonder where I was being brought when Thorin was led past me. He looked to me and I saw his mouth begin to open and I shook my head quickly, seeing that Legolas was watching us. Thorin nodded in understanding and then turned away from me as he was led away. As of yet, no one knew that we were related. It had to stay that way. If I was one thing, it was difficult.
Before long we came to a set of double doors, ostentatious and bold, made of carved wood. Two Elves opened them at our approach and Legolas strode in as I decided to make the two Elves forcing me forward actually do some work. I decided to make myself limp as a ragdoll and the two Elves stumbled under my weight as I stopped holding myself up and refused to propel myself forward of my own volition.
I saw one of the Elves roll his eyes before they hiked me up and began literally dragging me, my limp feet dragging on the floor behind us. I grinned brightly as I acted like a toddler and I was wheeled into the throne room like this. Legolas looked back over his shoulder and I watched several emotions cross his face before he settled on annoyance and frustration. I winked at him as the two Elves dropped me unceremoniously on the floor in front of the throne.
I looked up, noticing that the throne was placed upon a pedestal. Well, obviously someone was compensating for something. Thranduil sat in his throne looking bored as he stared down at me, an unamused expression on his face at my entrance. Like Legolas he had platinum blonde hair, but his eyebrows were dark brown and well sculpted. He was handsome if you liked that sort of thing. He wore a crown made of branches that had orange leaves on them and his robes were made of heavy looking silver material. I noticed that he wore quite a few rings as well.
While Lord Elrond was not ostentatious and did not flaunt his wealth, preferring simpler clothes and a simpler household, it seemed as if Thranduil liked to flaunt his wealth. While I was studying Thranduil he was also studying me. I remained on the floor. Deciding that sitting was probably best for me as I was feeling nauseous once more and even in my cell I had felt weak, tired and starving as I was. My tongue felt like sandpaper in my mouth and I knew that my body was probably beginning to shut down.
"Tell me…," Thranduil finally said, raising an eyebrow as he stared down at me. "What a darrowdam is doing on a quest of this nature. Surely Oakenshield is not so desperate as to risk his womenfolk now," Thranduil said and I tilted my head to the side as I looked at him.
"Chan eil fios agad air dad, tolla-thon," (You know nothing you arsehole) I answered Thranduil in Gaelic, remembering Legolas' reaction to Dwalin cursing at him in it and knowing that there was know way they would understand me.
Thranduil's eyebrow raised further towards his hairline at my words and Legolas' mouth formed a tight line as I looked back at Thranduil with a bored look on my face. Thranduil rose to his feet then and began descending the steps beside his throne as he made his way towards me.
"What is your name?" Thranduil demanded as he walked over to me and stood in front of me.
"Taigh nam gasta ort yah cacan" (*uck off yah wee shite) I told Thranduil and he glared at me as I continued to insult him and Thranduil waved his hand at his guards who grabbed me and dragged me to my feet. I squawked in protest at their rough treatment and turned my glare to Thranduil as he leaned down closer to me. "Cliospairneach," (*ock) I called him in anger and he gave me a look that I took to me that I was treading a very fine line.
"I know you understand me and I know you speak the Common Tongue," Thranduil said as he looked down at me. "I suggest you begin to do so," He warned me and I scoffed at that.
"Why? Do you feel left out of the conversation?" I asked Thranduil and if looks could kill I probably would be dead.
"Not many can speak a language I do not know," Thranduil said and I snorted at that and rolled my eyes, knowing that he was just trying to get information out of me.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to keep your nose out of other people's business? If you want information you won't be getting it from me," I told Thranduil, cutting to the chase.
"I have ways to get you to talk," Thranduil said as he circled around me and I shivered slightly before shaking my head and holding it high, looking straight ahead.
"Then do it," I told Thranduil, not knowing where my courage came from. I wouldn't tell him anything. I wouldn't betray my kin.
"Your name," Thranduil demanded again as he stood in front of me once more. His eyes roved over me and I saw the moment that his eyes alighted upon my necklace. "What have we here?" Thranduil asked and he reached towards me and tried to grab my necklace so I did the one thing I could think of and bent down quickly and latched my teeth onto his hand and bit down hard into the flesh of his hand.
Thranduil growled and pulled his hand away but my teeth were still sunk deep into his flesh until Legolas pulled a dagger off his belt and pressed it to my throat with a fancy move and flick of his hand. I finally released his father's hand then, licking the blood off my teeth as Thranduil inspected his hand which had a deep bite mark marring the pretty white flesh of his right hand now.
"Falbh dàirich fhèin," (Go *uck yourself) I told Thranduil, reverting to Gaelic naturally and Thranduil glared murderously at me. Legolas pressed his dagger more firmly to my throat and I felt it bite into my flesh and I hissed in pain before flicking my eyes to his face and growling low.
"You want to know my name?" I asked Thranduil, looking back at the King, my eyes narrowed as I practically spat each word. "My name is Adaira, wife of Dwalin son of Fundin," I told Thranduil darkly as I felt a bit of blood drip down my neck. "You do not touch me without my consent whether you are King or not you blaigeard," (Bastard) I warned Thranduil and whatever he saw in my eyes he waved his uninjured hand and Legolas reluctantly lowered his dagger from my neck.
"You can rot in my dungeons then," Thranduil hissed at me and his guards began to drag me away as I threw back my head and began to laugh. "Lock her up in the lower cells and make sure she is kept...comfortable," Thranduil ordered as I continued to laugh.
"Pòg mo thòin!" (Kiss my arse!) I shouted a parting curse to Thranduil just as the doors to the throne room began to close behind us.
I was dragged back to the dungeons and unlike before when I had just been separated from the others by another cell, the Elves dragged me down several staircases. The pathways twisted and turned, meant to confuse the unwary which unfortunately I was. I had used up the rest of my energy and now I could barely hold up my own head. I let the Elves carry me, refusing to walk any longer.
They dragged me, pushing and pulling, their grips bruising on my arms, but I was too tired to care. I couldn't tell how many staircases we had gone down or how many pathways, but we finally came to a cell which was opened and I was bundled into. I sank to the floor as soon as they dropped me onto it, curling in on myself, but that wasn't the end of it, oh no. The Elves began to shackle me to the walls, first my feet, then my hands, and then the last was a shackle around my neck. The iron ring around my neck locked into place and I fought against it as the Elves backed out of the cell, locking it and leaving me there.
The iron collar around my neck was attached to a three foot long chain and the manacles around my feet and hands were attached to longer chains. Each restricted my movements and filled me with cold. I shivered as the cold iron sapped the warmth from my skin. I rested my head against the wall, leaning against it, no strength left in my body. All the fight was out of me now. I wanted sleep and food and Dwalin. It was cold, so cold here especially down wherever I was.
I had to hope now that the others would figure out a way out of here. There was also Bilbo. Bilbo was still out there. Somehow he hadn't gotten captured along with the rest of us. We had to hope that he would come up with an idea to get us out of here. I only hoped that he would be able to find me. Someday I would learn that my mouth would be the death of me.
Third Person POV
Bilbo had watched Adaira from his hiding spot as she was dragged away from the throne room. He hadn't understood her, but he guessed that whatever she had said was probably rather rude. Sneaking through the Woodland Realm was harder than he had thought it was going to be. Elves it seemed, had better hearing and he had almost been caught several times. Bilbo had been following Thranduil, trying to discover where the dwarves were being held and suddenly Thranduil stepped out from behind a corner and seemingly addressed him.
"I know you're there. Why do you linger in the shadows?" Thranduil asked and Bilbo gave a little start, thinking that Thranduil could see through his invisibility. He was petrified, thinking he had been found out, when suddenly the red haired Elf maiden who had saved Kili stepped out of the shadows behind him. Realizing that the king was talking to her, Bilbo sighed in relief before quickly quieting before they could hear him.
"I was coming to report to you," The red haired Elf maiden answered Thranduil as she walked over to his side
"I thought I ordered that nest to be destroyed not two moons past," Thranduil told her, not looking amused. He looked down at his hand, glaring at the crescent shaped bite mark which stood out on his white flesh. His hand was slightly swollen and he flexed his fingers several times before lowering his hand.
"We cleared the forest as ordered, my lord, but more spiders keep coming up from the south. They are spawning in the ruins of Dol Guldur; if we could kill them at their source-" The Elf maiden reported and Thranduil interrupted her quickly, sounding irritated.
"That fortress lies beyond our borders. Keep our lands clear of those foul creatures, that is your task," Thranduil reminded her and the red haired elf raised her eyebrow slightly as she regarded him, looking concerned.
"And when we drive them off, what then? Will they not spread to other lands?" She asked the King and Thranduil narrowed his eyes slightly in annoyance.
"Other lands are not my concern. The fortunes of the world will rise and fall, but here in this kingdom, we will endure," Thranduil told her as Bilbo snuck away,while his footsteps would be hidden. Thranduil, hearing a noise caused by Bilbo, looked his way for a brief moment but upon seeing nothing he looked back at Tauriel as she bowed and walked away from him.
"Legolas said you fought well today," Thranduil commented and the red haired Elf smiled to herself at this compliment. "He has grown very fond of you," Thranduil continued and the Elf maiden looked away, shocked and embarrassed.
"I assure you, my lord, Legolas thinks of me as no more than a captain of the guard," The red haired Elf told Thranduil, not sure how she felt about what her King had just told her.
"Perhaps he did once. Now, I'm not so sure," Thranduil told her and he walked past her to pour himself a glass of wine. He certainly needed one after dealing with Oakenshield and that wild woman. The red haired Elf stayed rooted on her spot, looking worried.
"I do not think you would allow your son to pledge himself to a lowly Silvan elf," The red haired Elf said, looking to her feet, feeling overwhelmed by the situation.
"No, you are right. I would not. Still, he cares about you. Do not give him hope where there is none," Thranduil ordered her and behind Thranduil's back, the red haired Elf looked worried and anguished. She bowed once more to the King before she left, passing by Bilbo's hiding place, the Hobbit having heard the second conversation. He decided to follow the red haired Elf. After all, she was the captain of the King's guard. Maybe she would lead him right to the dwarves.
Bilbo crept behind the red haired Elf unseen for quite some time, but she didn't lead him anywhere but outside to an area that looked like a training yard where she began to throw herself into training. Bilbo retraced his steps and trailed through the halls of the Woodland Realm once more. He was terrified that he would be seen every time another Elf came around the corner before he remembered that he was invisible.
His stomach growled then, a dismal sound that had several Elves looking around as he passed by them and Bilbo clutched at his stomach, feeling the hunger gnawing away in it once more. He swallowed thickly, feeling as if he had swallowed a bunch of sand. He needed water and food before he could do much else. He'd be of little help to the dwarves, starving and parched as he was. Bilbo followed his nose, a Hobbit always knowing how to find food, and before long he found his way into the kitchens.
Elves bustled about here and there and there were all sorts of appetizing smells. Bilbo's stomach groaned once more as he caught sight of succulent roasting meat and delicate salads being prepared for the King's feasts. It was harder to hide here in such close quarters, but Bilbo darted this way and that and stole an apple here and a fresh bread roll hot from the oven there and some sort of berry tart too. He found his way into a quiet back room in his search for water but all that was there was barrel after barrel of wine.
Bilbo drank but a little of the wine, needing to keep his head, but the wine quenched his parched tongue. He wolfed down his stolen food hidden behind a wine barrel and groaned in longing when it was gone as his stomach continued to rumble in hunger. He once more braved the kitchens, looking for more that he might steal, something that might go unnoticed. He was just about to steal a bit of cheese when the blonde haired Prince entered the kitchens, a mischievous look upon his face.
Bilbo watched him as he walked over to the plates of freshly baked goods and began sampling them and Bilbo grumbled over how others were allowed to eat as much food as they pleased. The Hobbit had to chuckle as a chef looking like a Hobbit mother scolding her child descended upon the Prince and began to tell him off for eating all of her baked goods. Bilbo took advantage of the distraction to steal the cheese he had his sights on along with two more rolls which he stowed in his pockets before he made his way from the kitchens.
Bilbo spent another hour wandering about the palace until he found somewhere hidden and out of the way where he thought he might be safe and he once more wolfed down the food he had stolen. With his stomach somewhat satisfied he felt his eyes growing heavy, but he hardly dared to sleep. He still needed to find the dwarves. Not that he would be any help to them if he could barely stay awake. Perhaps he could just rest his eyes for a few minutes Bilbo thought before he fell into a fitful sleep, tucked away into the darkest and remotest corner he could find.