Author's Note: First of all, I apologize for the late update. These past two weeks have been crazy for me! I just want to say thanks for sticking by me despite the longer wait. Thanks for the reviews and the continuous support, my readers! Thank you LeoInuyuka, Vanilla Butter 88, fairys have tails, DwarvenWarrior, znk99fg7, Antheila, UKReader, biddle29, SwanInProgress, house of the falling sun, Lolcatzlola, YoIt'sThatOneGirlNameBianca, Booksnake3, MistressLeia24, cauldron-of-ceridwen, and Just4Me for reviewing! Also thanks for the favorites and follows ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own "Here Comes the Rain Again" by The Eurythmics.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Here Comes the Rain Again
Rue had thought Tauriel would see the foils of her plan before step one had even begun. Well, it looked like one of Rue's undervalued qualities had come into play big-time: her stupidity. Since the Elves thought she was stupid, they didn't perceive her as a threat. Enough said.
She was rushed through countless flights of wooden halls until she got to the healing room―her prime destination.
Creating quite a scene, Rue choked on her words, snot running down her nose, and tears bursting out her eyes. The stress of the situation had brought her to tears. To genuine tears.
In a flash, Tauriel sat Rue down on one of the cots. She seemed disturbed by Rue's bawling, asking Rue repeatedly in hush-hush tones what was precisely wrong.
Blubbering, Rue said, "I―I don't know."
Underneath her breath, Tauriel murmured sarcastically, "Humans."
Across the room from Rue was a healthy-looking Gimli―wide-awake―and Fili. They watched everything unfold with big eyes, appearing as if they were missing buckets of popcorn each to go along with Rue's "entertaining" blubbering.
"Rue, are you all right?" Fili asked, appearing genuinely concerned. It was the first time Rue could recall Fili just using Rue. What a change in the matter of two days.
She shook her head, panting, chest rising and falling. "I'm hurt―I'ma―" Rue touched her shoulder, faking the pain with a high-pitched scream. Biting her lip, she thrust the back of her head against the cot, laying down with a whine. Rue deliberately shifted to lay on her side, staying off her "injured" shoulder.
Tauriel's hands were in her hair, jaw open, head moving side to side in denial. In that moment, Rue realized she had accomplished the unthinkable. Most of her life, she'd never been a "winner." Rue had never won anything, was never chosen first in anything, always ignored, always underestimated. The only thing she was good at was playing her cello, but even then, her musical future looked bleaker by the day as the true finances of her dream came into play. Not to mention she was stuck in Middle-earth. Again. But this, Rue had actually succeeded in using her everyday-non-special characteristics to confuse the hell out of Tauriel.
Tauriel swallowed hard, stepping closer, gently reaching for Rue's forearms. "Lady Ruby, what injury do you precisely suffer?"
Rue gasped for air, wiping her nose, trembling.
"My―my shoulder! I want my―" Rue jerked wildly on the cot, kicking her legs, making Tauriel freak out even more. The next part of the plan was impulsive― "Get me my backpack! I want it! Please!" Rue brought her knees to her chest, going into the submissive fetal position. Look submissive. Look weak.
Tauriel reached out to touch her―
"NO!" Rue bellowed, jolting away.
Tauriel shuffled in indecision, looking from Rue, to Gimli and Fili on opposite beds. And then she was running for the doorway, shouting Elvish in the hallways. Rue remained motionless for a few moments, assuming Tauriel had commanded Elves to come into the healing room. She had to move fast.
"Psstt," she whispered.
"Lass?" Gimli was off the cot, making his way to Rue's side alongside Fili.
"Is she gone?" Rue murmured, face half-buried in the bed.
There was the sound of scuffle, scuffle, Gimli checking the hall before―
"She is gone."
Rue popped up like a jack-in-the-box.
"What―" Gimli started, eyes bugging out in puzzlement.
"She is not injured, Gimli," Fili stated, smirking, folding his arms and nodding in approval. His entire pose reminded Rue think of Nori. There was a little kick in her heart at the thought of Nori. It was all right, she would be seeing Nori soon if everything went according to plan…
She leapt off the bed, feeling sick all of a sudden. Rue had done it. She had really initiated their escape plan.
"Come here, come here," she beckoned them urgently.
Fili and Gimli were huddled around her within seconds, looking on for direction. They must have thought she was legit crazy. Rue felt legit crazy.
"I don't, I mean―" She ventured a glance over her shoulder, hearing thud, multiple thuds coming from the halls― "I don't wanna leave you guys here, but uh, I need you guys to meet me down in the dungeons in thirty minutes. I'm gonna hope you guys can escape the Elves about to come in here. Crap. Should've thought out the plan better. You guys need―need―" Rue's hands went into her cloak pockets in search of anything that could be a makeshift weapon. She pulled bobby pins out, shoving them in Fili and Gimli's hands. "Use these to stab the Elves in the eyes if you have to. Do what you have to, to make it down to the dungeons in thirty minutes. If you guys aren't down there, we can try this another time."
"What are we exactly doing?" Gimli asked quietly, eyebrows furrowed.
Rue murmured, "We're―"
"Escaping," Fili finished for her.
"Yeah," she squeaked.
THUD. THUD.
Elven guards were coming closer. Rue had to leave. Now.
Rue's hand shot to her cloak pocket, fingering the water skin Bilbo had given her. One chance. One opportunity.
"Go," Fili mouthed.
Rue sprinted out the room, heart beating a million beats per minute―per second.
Large silhouettes slithered against the walls, torchlight eerily flashing, making the shadows of the oncoming Elves even bigger.
She raced the opposite way, hoping to Mahal she'd be able to find the Elvenking's bathing halls and execute her plan all in under thirty minutes.
Under thirty minutes.
Running around the Elvenking's halls incognito ranked in the top five scariest ten minutes of her life, shortly behind almost being slaughtered by Azog.
It was as if a divine presence―probably Mahal―had guided her. She had crawled across branches, hid behind walls, and spider walked into small crevices to avoid being spotted by any Elves.
Somehow, her dumb plan had worked thus far. Rue was currently crouched on the ground, shrouded in the shadow of a corner; vigilantly looking on at the two large, blue double-doors that led to Thranduil's bathing halls. It was a miracle she hadn't been spotted yet. Three Elves guarded the doors, acute eyes honing in on their surroundings like hawks.
Time was ticking.
Crap. Think. Rue ran a hand through her hair. She hadn't thought out this part of the plan.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Rue swallowed hard, searching her cloak pockets for anything that could pose as a distraction. It'd be a good time to have a whistle or one of those birthday party whistles. Rue couldn't remember what they were called―
THUNK.
Rue gasped, ducking farther into the shadows as a pair of legs passed her. Tucking her knees to her chest, she steadied her breathing, feeling like she might as well have been in a horror movie. Damn. Her heart felt like it was going to combust inside her chest. She looked up, seeing blurs of blonde hair and then―
"Legolas," one of the Elven guards called, standing taller, mouth parted in worry.
Legolas. No. She was going to be caught for sure.
He was sneering, fists clenched as he sprinted for the others backed against the double-doors. Legolas's eyebrows were knitted in a firm line.
"One of the prisoners has escaped," Legolas announced in a whisper-yell.
There were multiple gasps. Rue's hand flew to her mouth, muffling any and all sounds behind her palm.
He continued to speak urgently in Elvish. She didn't have to know Westron or whatever the Elvish language was, to understand the implication of what they were saying. Their expressions told her enough. Legolas pointed down two different halls that led away from Thranduil's bathing halls. The Elves nodded, seeming reluctant as they peeked over their shoulders.
Trembling, Rue anchored so far back, the back of her head met cool stone. Calm down. Remain calm.
"You are saying the king does not need to know?" One Elven guard awkwardly ventured. What?
There was tense silence.
Legolas stepped closer to them, all hostile, snarling, "Do not make me speak of what will happen if you do not oblige by my command. I am the prince of the Woodland Realm."
A few seconds passed of the Elves shuffling in indecision.
Another started uncertainly, "Legolas, we tire of taking risks because of your mistakes, and now we must chance ourselves even more because of Tauriel's―"
"Do not speak of her. Are you coming or not? You know you do not wish to suffer the Elvenking's wrath nor mine."
Legolas started pacing backwards, glaring daggers at all three guards. Rue didn't know what to make of the conversation, finding their words a good distraction from her current predicament. It could be someone else. They could be searching for another prisoner.
Suddenly, there was a chorus of thuds as a sea of bodies rushed past her. Rue squeezed tighter in the corner, forcing herself lower while keeping her knees locked against her chest.
Do not exhale. Do not.
Rue kept her mouth shut, biting her lip.
The Elves began to turn down the hall. She saw the last glimpse of a foot before―
They were gone.
Rue waited for what felt like an eternity. She inhaled, jolting her legs forward and sitting up.
Slowly, she tiptoed closer to the double-doors, realizing the stupidity of her actions seconds later. Move fast. It was only a matter of time before the Elves discovered she had been here all along.
In her lamest attempt to be quiet, she bolted for the door, screeching to a halt, breaths uneven. How had she gotten so freaking lucky? Rue never was lucky. Unlucky was more like it. But it seemed like Legolas's ego and apparent daddy problems had served her well.
Getting back to business, Rue looked at what was in front of her: the double-doors. Instinctively, she ducked, squatting with her back against the door. With a quick prayer to God and Mahal, Rue started to gently push. The doors budged. She pushed harder.
Creak.
Rue's heart skipped a beat as the door opened wider. And wider. And―
She was inside.
Right away, she knelt down, shifting so she was on her palms and knees. Achingly slow, Rue began to crawl, face burning hot. The door sluggishly creaked shutbehind her.
Slam.
Rue jumped a little at the sound of the door shutting completely. Warily, she peered up from her spot on the ground, quivering.
Expecting to find Thranduil standing in front of her with his hands on his hips, Rue was surprised by what she found instead. The room was spacious, separated by what Rue would have called "paper walls." The paper walls were small and blue, appearing to only separate the bathing pools.
There were numerous golden bathing pools, decorated by Elvish letterings on the outside.
For a moment, Rue wondered how she was going to find Thranduil. Multiple bathing pools met her gaze, but none of them had the divalicious king.
The sound of splashes and shifting through water nearly made her jump.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, but Rue was moving. She climbed to her feet, remaining in a squat position as she ambled for one of the paper walls.
Before Rue lost her nerve, she scampered for the wall. Behind that paper wall was the king. Arriving, she dropped back down to her knees and palms, deciding it might be best to crawl.
Rue swallowed hard, fingers gripping at parts of the stone floor as she inched closer to the edge of the paper wall.
And then she was a peeping tom.
Thranduil was in the nude.
He stood at the edge of the pool, bare and all―
Well, this was awkward. Rue shrunk back a little. One of the first things that truly sunk in her head was how white he was. His―uh, now she really felt like a class act pervert―butt was extremely white, like blinding white. The second thing that Rue thought of was…how spindly he was underneath all his bling and kingly outfits.
Thranduil made his way back to the pool, wet blonde hair spilling over his shoulders as he sat down, gracefully easing his way back inside the water. She noticed something immediately. There was a brown mug in his hand. Thranduil took a sip of it―Rue assumed it was wine―before leaving the mug on the outside of the pool.
The mug.
Step three of the plan formed in Rue's head. All she had to do was get the river water Bilbo had given her inside that mug. Then Thranduil would be asleep and this would be ten times easier.
Wait. Where was the ring? Rue suddenly panicked, heart rate picking up. Did he have it on? She didn't recall seeing anything on him.
She scanned the poolside area―
There it was.
A glint of gold met her eyes. The ring on the chain was by the poolside, crawls away from the mug. Hey, that was why she had trouble spotting it. The mug was pretty much on top of the chain. At least she knew where it was now. Not that the information exactly helped her.
Rue sucked in a jarring breath. Tentative fingers reached for her cloak pocket. Rue found the water skin and yanked it out. How had she even gotten this far? Thranduil must have known she was here, right?
But the unthinkable became increasingly apparent. He didn't know. Thranduil relaxed, staying near the lip of the bath, draping both arms on the edges of the stone. Leaning back, his blonde locks spilled on the stone. Loudly, he sighed.
All Rue could see was the back of his head, and inches from the back of his skull was goal number one: the mug.
Time to woman up. With shaky hands, she unscrewed the lid on the water skin. Rue moved one knee forward. All of a sudden, she was chickening out, returning to the safety behind the paper wall.
Covering her mouth, she inhaled. Go. The Dwarves and Bilbo were depending on her.
And with those last thoughts said, Rue showed herself, palms scuttling forward and then the rest of her on all knees.
There was a grating impulse to crawl slow―to move at a snail's pace. Rue fought the impulse, crawling fast while attempting to remain soundless.
Thranduil lounged in the bath, leaning back, seemingly caught off guard.
"Hmmm."
Crap. She froze mid-crawl, one knee in front of the other while one palm was up in the air.
The Elvenking stirred the slightest, stretching his arms.
Rue's heart roared. No. She was going to get caught, she was going to―
Thranduil's head simply fell on his right shoulder as he sighed in…relief.
Silence ensued.
Rue's palm met the stone surface as she continued to crawl. She was nearly gasping for air. Forcing her mouth shut, the mug loomed closer and closer.
The ring came closer, the flash of gold threatening Rue's stealth. It made the pressure of her situation all the more surreal. She had to get it. Because if she failed―
Rue didn't even want to think about what would happen if she failed.
Noiselessly, she brought one knee forward, sitting on one knee, hands scrambling with the water skin. She tipped the water skin above the mug. Water spilled into the mug―the wine. It shouldn't have been this easy. Rue's hands shuddered―her entire body ice cold.
More water trickled into the mug. She was starting to feel regretful. What if she had put too much? What if this stuff in the river could be lethal? Rue stopped pouring.
Without warning, Thranduil's arm shot backwards.
Rue sucked in her near-squeak attack, crawling backwards, and one hand shooting to her mouth.
Thranduil reached for his hair, pushing the long locks over his left shoulder. With awkward fingers, Rue screwed the lid on top of the water skin. Time to retreat.
She slid backwards on her butt. Go faster.
Thranduil flipped his hair over his shoulder, snakelike fingers reaching for his mug. He halfway turned.
Rue froze. Her heart was leaping. If he turned just a little more, he'd see her. Then what?
Gaining her last shred of courage, Rue kept crawling backwards, realizing her mistake had been stopping in the first place. Go. Go.
The paper wall was fast approaching. Rue turned on her side, crawling the last few inches on her knees.
All of a sudden, Thranduil whirled around. Rue's foot disappeared behind the paper wall a split-second before he was facing her direction. She made herself as small as possible, shrinking behind the paper wall with bated breaths.
There was a soft moaning of water. Moments later, the sound of gulping ripped the air.
Thranduil was actually drinking the mug.
Rue was in shock; hand on her chest as she sunk back against the wall. Please don't let it be fatal. Please―
RRRRIP.
Suddenly, Rue was falling backwards through the paper wall, arms flailing.
OOMPH.
She landed on her back, gasping for air. Rue had really done it this time…
"YOU!"
Jolting from her spot, she sat up to find Thranduil putting on a robe, the piece of cloth concealing his―well, his little Thranduil―just in time. Now that would've been awkward.
"I can explain," Rue started. She wasn't sure what she'd be explaining.
Thranduil began shouting in Elvish, red in the face, bending down to―
HISS.
Thranduil unsheathed his sword, which had been on the opposite side of the pool. She hadn't spotted it…
"Elvenking―Thranduil―I mean―" Rue climbed to her feet, hiding the water skin in her cloak. She bowed, scared shitless, knowing she was about to be decapitated. Fight or flight. Uhh…Rue couldn't imagine having to fight Thranduil.
"What did you just put in your cloak?" he hissed, nearly closing the distance between them in two, long strides.
Rue shook her head.
"ANSWER ME!" he bellowed.
Thranduil raised his sword, the tip honing in on her neck. Rue held her hands up as her last ditch effort of defense.
All sound stopped.
Rue's hands dropped from her face.
Thranduil's mouth was open in…Oh, no. He knew.
He stepped closer. "How dare you―"
At once, he fell down face forward, Rue leaping out the way as he struck the stone ground. She gave a thoughtless, tiny scream, chest heaving. Move. Regret plundered through her. Rue should have caught Thranduil in the very least...
Her body wanted to go both ways: Thranduil's side or to retrieve the ring.
Rue chose the ring.
She snatched the chain from the ground, placing it around her neck. Three different things clinked together now: the ring, the key to Erebor, and Thorin's war piercing.
Giving Thranduil one final look, Rue wondered if she should at least turn him over and check if he had any damage done to his face thanks to that fall, but decided against it.
It was time to go.
Rue had never adored the ring more than she did right now. She had slipped it on, sprinting down descending branches and wooden pathways that led to the dungeons. There had been a few close calls, Rue brushing against an Elf or two by accident.
With a start, she realized if she hadn't been able to get the ring back, this part of the plan would have been hopeless. Rue would've been caught the moment she left Thranduil's bathing halls. There had been six Elves racing down the halls in panic, rushing into the bathing halls.
Thank Mahal she had the ring.
Rue stumbled the last few stairs into the dungeons, almost tripping over her own feet. The world was vividly blurry if that made sense. Objects and people in the distance were giant hazes while she could spot the smallest details acutely, like a line of ants crawling up the stairs.
With a small gasp, she arrived at the bottom of the stairs―the dungeons.
Rue expected to find five Elves down here in the very least. What she found instead was shocking.
Zero. No Elves guarded the cells.
Her jaw was slack as she peered at the cells, eyes steadying on the rows. Maybe the Elves were hiding? Rue zipped up and down several rows, checking for Elves. As she raced past Nori's cell, she noticed him startle suddenly, as if he had felt her presence. Weird.
She skidded to a halt. Finally, Rue slipped the ring off, heart nearly leaping out her chest.
Gasps. She heard nothing but gasps from the Dwarves.
"Miss Rue!"
"Rue!" Bilbo.
"Lass!"
"How did you get down here?"
More questions.
Rue shook her head, bringing a finger to her mouth. "Shhhh, shhh."
Silence washed over the Dwarves as understanding sunk in. Bilbo was grinning. Thorin was pressed against his bars, watching Rue with heated eyes. Gosh, his gaze was making her nearly double over in dizziness. Balin nodded in approval, smiling. He had never looked at herlike that―as if he was a proud father...At once, she felt overwhelmed by emotions.
Rue inhaled, whispering, "We're escaping right now."
There was a small round of noises―excitement from Gloin, Ori, Kili, Bofur, and Dwalin. Balin straightaway hushed them, giving them his characteristic condescending stare. Rue liked to call it "The Balin." It was when he gave the slight head tilt and raised his eyebrows.
Thorin met her eyes. Rue opened her mouth to say something. She wasn't sure what, but―
"Do you have the key?" Thorin smiled warmly, visibly searching Rue's hands―body―for the key.
The key.
Oh, no.
She had forgotten that part of the plan―the most crucial part of the plan.
Rue thought she was going to puke, clenching her abdomen for dear life, blinking in shock. How could she have not thought of the key?
Bilbo peered at her, stare traveling up in doubt. "You do have the key, do you not?"
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Crap.
"The key, you say? Yes, we have the key."
Rue gasped, spinning around at the sound of Fili's voice.
Fili and Gimli were descending the stairs, Fili's two blades in his hands while Gimli lugged around Dwalin's axe. How had they gotten any of the weapons back?
Rue was shell-shocked. Her stupid ass hadn't even thought of them when she had first gotten down here. She assumed being overwhelmed by accomplishing her task had distracted her. Still, that was a lame excuse.
They came closer, outlines shifting through the torchlight. Rue spotted her backpack dangling off Gimli's elbow. What? A grin from ear to ear spread across her face.
Rue raced for them, nearly tackling Gimli down as she hugged him. And in Fili's hand, she spotted a gleam of silver with a wash of coppery: the treasured keys to the cells.
Fili held it up, dangling the keys in front of the cells.
Kili smacked the bars in his burst of happiness. "FILI!"
Rue resisted from rolling her eyes. Did he really have to shout?
Fili nodded at his brother in acknowledgement, but got to business first. He went to Thorin's cell, putting the key in the keyhole and―
Thorin's cell opened and he was free.
"How did you get the keys?" Rue kept one arm slung over Gimli's shoulder.
Gimli gave a little chuckle. "We took heed to your word and we fought our way through Elves. Lots of Elves."
Damn. Rue felt awful.
Weirdly, there was a happy twinkle in Gimli's eye.
"You guys got some of our stuff back." Rue beamed.
Fili opened Dwalin's cell, moving on to Balin's.
Gimli nodded, telling her bits and pieces of how they had managed to snatch some of the belongings while Fili unlocked other cells.
Rue's heart was thundering like crazy: boom, boom, thud.
Her gaze shot to the stairs constantly, in never-ending fear of being caught. They had to hurry.
Minutes later, Bofur spoke her mind aloud as he anxiously waited for Fili. Bofur was the last Dwarf in a cell, moving his weight from one foot to the next, prodding Fili to hurry.
"Hurry," he said impatiently, pressing against the bars.
"Perhaps we should leave him?"
Everyone turned to look at Dwalin as the words left his mouth.
He was grinning, slapping his knee. "I am only trying to lighten the mood, lads."
Rue realized her and Dwalin had a lot more in common than she had ever been aware of. Laughing, grinning, and joking were there defense mechanisms.
The key was in the hole, twisting and unlocking with an audible soft hiss. Fili opened the door, stepping backwards.
Bofur smiled ear to ear, stepping out the cell.
"Thank Mahal we have Miss Rue, Fili, and Gimli," Bofur spoke airily, giving Rue and Fili pats on the back.
In spite of the perilous journey ahead, Rue had never felt so much…appreciation from the company. They were complimenting her plan, telling her hundreds of variations of "good job" and "thank you."
Thorin stayed near her, his eyes never leaving her for more than five seconds. She squirmed underneath his gaze. The reality of the situation kept her from floating in dreamland, though. Time was a-ticking.
Rue swallowed hard.
"We must leave," Thorin growled, heading for the stairs first before―
"Wait," Rue piped up. "Where are the barrels of wine?"
Sudden silence fell. There might as well have been crickets chirping. The Dwarves watched her in bewilderment, mulling the answer themselves―
"I know where they are," Bilbo spoke up.
Thorin gave him a lopsided grin, reaching for Bilbo's shoulders and squeezing them in gratitude.
"Then show us the way."
Three different times, they had almost gotten caught.
By the time they reached the cellar, Rue realized one thing she should've understood hours ago. She had changed the story. In the book, Bilbo had waited until the Elves were drunk on wine, guards down and fortress vulnerable. But Rue hadn't waited for anything. The Elves were currently hunting for them―sober.
Now inside the cellar, Bilbo was scrambling around with the barrels while poor Ori freaked out.
"We will neverride in barrels in the river without being seen," Ori spoke fearfully, swallowing big gulps of air as Dori openly comforted him and Nori spoke in hushed tones.
"We shall escape this wretched place," Nori insisted quietly. "You will see, Ori."
Kili and Fili stood together, Fili speaking quietly to his brother while making a big-time stink-face. Rue had a gnawing feeling Fili was lecturing Kili about the merits of being a blabbermouth.
Thorin closed the little distance between himself and Bilbo as Mr. Hobbitkins set-up the barrels one by one.
Rue and Dwalin finished setting up the last of the barrels.
"Mr. Baggins…are you certain of this plan?" Thorin gave Rue a long, meaningful sideways glance.
He remembered her hints days earlier.
Bilbo nodded shakily, Adam's apple twitching. "Yes, Thorin."
Thorin nodded once, signaling with the gesture of his hand for Bilbo to proceed.
Bilbo turned to the line of Dwarves, vaguely motioning to the barrels that were situated sideways and on top of each other.
"Get inside the barrels," Bilbo announced sheepishly, his "demand" sounding more like a question.
Dwalin looked ready to protest, but Thorin opened his mouth first.
"Listen to Mr.―Bilbo."
The Dwarves didn't need to be told twice, racing to the barrels. Rue's pulse hammered erratically as she approached one of the barrels on the far side. She took a peek over her shoulder, waiting for the inevitable storm of the Elven troops.
The Elves were going to figure out they were down here…
Rue hurried, falling to her knees and crawling inside a barrel.
Coolness seeped her flesh. She tucked her knees against her chest, and said a quick prayer to Mahal.
There was a smaller world now from the vantage point of the barrel. Rue squinted to get a closer look at what was happening outside.
Without warning, a cascade of long, dark hair swept past her barrel. Thorin carefully knelt down inches away from her. Rue withdrew into the confines of her barrel, heart racing.
Thorin's hand tentatively shot out toward Rue. Shyly, her fingers met his, splayed against the thickness of his palm.
Fleetingly, a ghost of a smile crossed Thorin's lips.
"I will be in the barrel above you. Whatever happens―" At once, he stopped speaking.
Rue uttered, "Whatever happens, we'll be safe. We'll be okay. I know it."
Thorin nodded. "You will be safe."
Naturally, her fingers curled against his. Instinctively, Thorin squeezed her hand in reassurance.
And then he was up, slipping into the barrel above hers.
Rue poked her head out of the barrel. Immediately, she noticed other heads popping out of the barrels. Curiosity had gotten the better of them, too.
Urgently, Bilbo hushed them, hissing, "Get back inside the barrels."
Rue disappeared into the barrel, chest rising and falling. Gosh, it was such a tight squeeze inside here.
THUD. THUNK. THUD.
What was that? Rue crawled closer to the top of the barrel, knees jamming against her chest painfully. Ouch.
One last time, she looked outside the barrel.
Rue saw Bilbo standing by a medieval lever of sorts…
From out of nowhere, there was a stampede of Elven boots crashing against the wooden floor.
Elves burst through the doorway.
Bilbo pulled the medieval lever.
And then they were tumbling, Rue's barrel crashing against other barrels. Her stomach dropped out from underneath her.
She was falling before―
SPLASH.
Water. For a moment, Rue stayed stark still, legs splayed on both sides of the barrel to keep herself from tipping over. Gently, she felt herself cradled, whooshing left to right. Rue inhaled. Exhaled.
She inched closer to the surface.
Rue heard the rouse of familiar voices, her head bursting from the darkness of the barrel. What she found had her grinning. They were all upside in their barrels, smiling and whooping in celebration as the river remained their only companion. The river was still―currents calm.
Above, spills of light peeped out of the edges of a trapdoor of sorts. Rue gulped. She scanned the Dwarves, noticing―
"Where's Bilbo?" she cried.
Thorin's gaze stayed fastened on the trapdoor. The seconds flew by. Rue counted along. Five seconds. Six. Seven. She ventured a glimpse at the blur of faces again. Eleven seconds―
At once, the trapdoor flew open. A body―Bilbo―dropped out. He landed in the water back first, Thorin instantly dragging himself and the barrel to Bilbo's side. Bilbo emerged from the water moments later, panting, dainty hands attempting the doggy paddle.
Thank goodness, Bilbo was okay.
Bilbo reached for the barrel closest to him, gasping like a fish out of water. Rue snorted. Funny comparison since they were in water. Balin gave her a quizzical look. Hmm…snorting was probably so not the right social reaction right now.
Nori scooted closer to Bilbo, grabbing his hand and pulling the Hobbit nearer. Bilbo dangled on the barrel's side, blinking. It was like…Rue couldn't even explain it. Like some newfound brotherhood had been formed between the Dwarves and Bilbo ever since they had done some prison time together.
"Well done, Master Baggins."
A slight, triumphant smile flitted across Thorin's lips. He backed up in his barrel, eyes traveling from Bilbo to her, looking proud.
Other barrels bumped against Rue's as they began to float down the river, bursts of sunlight dipping underneath a low branch looping across walls.
Thorin started to turn around, and then―
She heard the words. Whispers in the wind humming against her ears.
"Rue, we would still be―"
Clack. Clunk. It was the sound of barrels grinding against each other, interrupting Thorin's words.
"I cannot th―"
The river carried them underneath the branch, snaking a path between moss covered rocks and webs of grass.
Rue perked up at Thorin's words, her heart skipping a beat. Scanning their surroundings, she grew tenser, the sudden presence of sunlight making their world crystal clear.
Ahead there was a wall, a line of―
"Elves!" Gimli hollered in panic.
An army of Elves lined the wall, gold-colored armor flashing in the sunlight. Underneath the wall was a gate, a portcullis of sorts. Rue's heart stopped.
They bobbed along. No.
One second, Rue took her eyes off the Elves as she wiped splatters of water out her eyes, and the next―
There was a maddening shriek. One of the Elves was attacked from behind, a blade embedded in their shoulder as they fell off the wall. Rue shrieked, the Elf falling in the river, missing her from a stone's throw away. Breathing was impossible. No. Bullets of sweat poured down her face.
And in the Elf's place on the wall stood―
All the color drained from Rue's body.
Azog the Defiler.
Author's Note: This must be the most unlikely escape plan ever to succeed! I think Rue used her perceived "helplessness" to her advantage ;) So what do you think? Let me know and click that review button, peeps! The next update might be another late one. I'm only 1,000 words and so in :( Sorry! Sometimes, life is just too much to handle, though. Remember to follow me on Tumblr at pearlprimrose, chicas!
333 Pearl Primrose