Barrels Out Of Bond:
The sound of the doors closing resonated throughout Thranduil's halls; setting my teeth on edge. As we were led through and over the raised wooden walkways, I focussed on breathing without hurting myself; a very difficult exercise when one is being shoved forwards. Bofur was in front of me and every few minutes he looked back to see how I was doing. The sparkle had gone out of his eyes and his brows were knitted in concern. Kili was behind me and was being led by the she-elf who had rescued him from the spiders. Whenever I turned around to see how the rest of the company were doing; she would shift her gaze from Bofur to me, multiple times, as though trying to figure something out. We started to descend well worn wooden steps and I felt like I was going to collapse if I didn't sit down. The elves then started shoving the dwarves into the cells; one or two to a cell.
"This is not the end of it! You hear me?" Dwalin yelled waving his arms through the bars.
"Let us out of here!" Gloin growled.
"Get off me!" Dori yelled as he was shoved into a cell with Ori.
The elf in charge of Fili, I noticed with slight amusement, had found another dagger hidden down the back of the dwarf's coat. With a frustrated sigh, Fili was pushed into a cell and the elf walked off.
Kili was next and as the she-elf was about to close the door he looked up at her. "Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers".
"Or nothing" the elf replied before shutting the door.
Bofur ended up in a cell across from Kili and I felt a flutter of panic. I was going to be separated from the one dwarf that made me feel safe and cared for. The elf holding me started to lead me towards a different cell so I dug my heels into the floor. "No!" I tried to pull myself free and failed.
"What is going on?" the blonde elf asked walking over.
"She is resisting, my Lord Legolas" the elf replied with a nod of his head.
"Why are you so distressed?" the she-elf asked.
"Leave her alone!" Bofur growled.
The elves looked around and the she-elf seemed to come to a conclusion about something. "Put her in with him" she told my captor.
"My Lord?" the elf looked to Legolas.
"Do as she says" he replied before starting up the steps.
Legolas and the she-elf disappeared and my captor proceeded to open Bofur's door and roughly shove me inside the cell. I lost my balance and would have hit the floor had Bofur not caught me.
"Easy lass, I've got yer" he said helping me over to the ledge along one wall.
"Thank you" I replied with a tight smile.
"I think we just gave them elves somethin' to gossip about, don't yer think?" Bofur said sitting next to me and lacing his fingers through mine.
I nodded as some of the others started banging on their doors in an escape attempt.
"Knock it off will you?" I yelled "that's not going to work".
"Anduin is right" Balin called from somewhere above me "this is no Orc dungeon; these are the halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the King's consent".
"And that is a hard won thing" I muttered.
"How come?" Bofur asked in a quiet voice.
"On my West from Lake Town I had to pass through the forest, and I was almost through when I was ambushed by Thranduil's elves" I took a slow breath. "The king demanded to know why I was in his realm and I answered him as honestly as you like. I said I was only passing through and didn't mean to cause any trouble on the way, but Thranduil didn't believe me. He thought I was a spy, or something of that ilk, sent to stir up trouble". I paused to catch my already short breath before continuing. "I was sent down here and spent almost a month before the king decided I was telling the truth and I was released and deposited on the edge of the forest without any form of apology".
"Elves!" Bofur replied with a steely glint in his eye.
"Hush" I said soothingly "hopefully Thorin will come to some sort of deal and we'll be out of here before long".
"You need to rest" Bofur said standing up. "Go ahead and sleep if you can".
I nodded and tried to get comfortable on the hard ledge. My exhaustion won out soon enough and I began to doze. Before I drifted off completely Bofur leant close and whispered "menu tessu" in my ear before placing a light kiss on my cheek.
…
"Him and all his kin!" Thorin yelled, causing me to suddenly wake up.
"Well...that's it then. A deal was our only hope" Balin said sadly.
I rubbed my eyes and slowly sat up. My ribs twinged and I clench my teeth together.
"Not our only hope" Thorin replied in a harsh whisper.
"He means Bilbo doesn't he?" Bofur asked in a low voice as he stretched out on the floor.
"I think so" I replied. I turned the words Bofur had spoken to me over in my head for a few minutes "what did you say before I went to sleep?"
Bofur's face flushed red and he looked at his boots "it means 'you are everything' and I mean it". He looked up at me "you are the only lass I've ever met that I feel this way fer".
My face grew hot and I looked at the floor. "Really?" Was Bofur trying to tell me in his one hundred and twenty-six years, no dwarf lady had earned his affection?
"Aye" was all he said in reply.
I didn't know what to make of the situation I found myself in. When did our friendship turn into something more? I was about to say something else when Legolas appeared outside the door. Bofur jumped to his feet and placed himself in front of me.
"What is it now?" he growled. "She's injured, she needs to rest!".
"The king wishes to speak with you" Legolas said ignoring Bofur entirely as he unlocked the door.
"Hush, my love, I'll be fine" I soothed giving Bofur's outstretched arm a squeeze as I stood up.
I was led along yet another familiar pathway to Thranduil's throne room. The king was casually reclining in his massive wooden throne; carved into the shape of antlers. He glanced down as Legolas stopped in front of the throne. I repressed a shudder as Thranduil's cold gaze swept over me; taking in the spider web, the twigs that were still tangled in my hair and, to my extreme chagrin, my inability to breath without making a face.
"We meet again daughter of Sarren" Thranduil said in a dangerously calm voice.
"Indeed" I replied curtly.
"Once again you are trespassing on my lands and this time in the company of dwarves" Thranduil sneered. He rose and slowly made his way down the dais to stand in front of me. "Why are you with Thorin Oakenshield?" Thranduil asked as he began to circle me.
"You clearly know the reason for our quest" I replied, hissing as I tried to take a deep breath. "I only wish to save my family from the-"
"Smaug cannot be defeated" Thranduil replied quickly. "Thorin will not reclaim the mountain".
"You're just going to sit here and do nothing to help?!" I asked incredulously. "While we rot in your dungeons?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Yes" Thranduil replied making his way back up to his throne.
I was clearly being dismissed. Legolas took hold of my left arm and jerked me around towards the stairs. The movement caused me extreme pain and I couldn't stop the cry that escaped my lips.
"Something wrong?" Thranduil asked in a condescending voice.
Legolas turned around "the dwarf that shares her cell claims she is injured".
"Well that's too bad" came the reply as Legolas started leading me back to the cells.
After Legolas had deposited me and locked the door I slipped to my knees and tried to stop the spinning in my head.
"What's wrong?" Bofur asked kneeling down n front of me. "What did that bastard do?"
I raised my head and tried to give Bofur a reassuring smile. "Nothing, he did nothing" I replied placing a hand on my ribs. "He doesn't care that I'm injured and he isn't going to assist us with the quest either". With Bofur's help I got to my feet and laid down on the ledge.
Bofur sat on the floor next to me and grasped my right hand. "Sleep if you need to" he said lacing his fingers with mine.
…
The sound of footsteps outside the cell woke me before Bofur's fingers tightened on mine.
"Quit gawkin' would yer" Bofur growled as I started to sit up.
"Why do you care so much for a human?" the she-elf asked. She was looking at us with a puzzled expression and I suddenly remembered what her name was.
"Why is it your business?" I replied glaring up at Tauriel.
"I am intrigued to learn why a human and a dwarf care for each other in such a way as you seem to do" she replied.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm in no mood to reveal anything to an elf in Thranduil's employ" I glowered at the elf and leant back against the wall with a grimace.
"Legolas says you are injured" Tauriel said as though I hadn't spoken.
"So what if she is?" Bofur replied.
"Even though the king refuses to help you, I can acquire medicine to help with the pain if you'll allow me" Tauriel replied, slightly bemused at Bofur's harsh tone.
"Is this some kind of trick?" I asked shooting Tauriel a wary glance.
"I assure you it is not" she replied taking a few steps away from the door. "I shall bring some shortly".
I looked at Bofur with an incredulous expression "what was that about?".
…
True to her word, Tauriel returned with a small vial in her hand. She passed it through the bars to Bofur. "A few drops is all you need, and there is enough to last a week at the most".
"Is it safe?" Bofur asked.
"Yes" Tauriel replied.
"Do I get yer word on that, elf?" Bofur demanded.
"I assure you it is safe and won't harm her, you have my word".
After giving Tauriel a hard stare Bofur turned to me and handed over the vial. I unstoppered it and put a few drops on my tongue. I waited for a heartbeat and was surprised when the pain started to slip away. I smiled at Bofur and turned my gaze to the elf. "You have my thanks" I said bowing my head slightly.
Tauriel bowed her head in reply and turned around to face Kili's cell. "The stone in your hand, what is it?"
"It's a talisman" Kili replied. "A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed".
Tauriel began to turn away as though in fear.
"Or not" Kili chuckled "depending on whether you believe that kind of thing. It's just a token". "It's a rune-stone. My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise".
"What promise?" Tauriel asked.
I had to lay down to reduce the pressure on my chest. I laced the fingers of my right hand with Bofur's and tried to relax.
"That I will come back to her" Kili replied. "She worries. She thinks I'm reckless".
"Are you?" Tauriel asked.
It seemed to me she was enjoying the conversation. Maybe Legolas wasn't the chatty sort. I chuckled at my own stupid thoughts and hissed at the twinge in my chest.
"What's funny?" Bofur asked.
"I was just thinking of something silly in relation to Legolas" I replied with a small smile.
"Who?" Bofur asked, cocking his head to the side.
"The blonde elf we verbally abused earlier" I replied.
Bofur shrugged and proceeded to rub circles on my hand with his thumb. A sudden clatter rent the air. Kili had dropped his stone and it skidded across the floor. Tauriel bent down, picked it up and examined it.
"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there" Kili said as voices carried down the stairs.
"It is the Feast of Starlight" Tauriel replied softly. "All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood Elves love best the light of the stars".
"I thought it is a cold light, remote and far away" Kili said as Tauriel turned the stone in her hand.
"It is memory, precious and pure" she said "like your promise". Tauriel handed the stone back and went to sit on the bottom step of the staircase, a few feet away from Kili's cell. "I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fills the air".
"I saw a fire moon once" Kili said with a sparkle in his eyes. "it rose over the pass near Dunland, huge; red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs". "We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path. I wish I could show you..."
I heard no more of Kili's conversation as I slipped into sleep. Bofur's thumb still making circles on my hand.
…
I was awoken this time by gruff voices conversing. I opened my eyes to find Bofur standing near the door of our cell.
"I'll wager the sun's on the rise" he mused. "It must be nearly dawn".
"We're never going to get out of here are we?" Ori asked meekly.
"Not stuck in here you're not" Bilbo said poking his head around the corner and holding up a set of keys.
"Bilbo!" Balin called out merrily.
"Shhh! There are guards nearby" Bilbo said trying to quieten the excited dwarves.
The hobbit started unlocking the cells and Bofur helped me to my feet as Bilbo unlocked our door. I made sure the vial Tauriel had given me was safe by tucking it underneath my chest wrappings.
"Not that way" Bilbo whispered as some of the dwarves made for the stairs. "Down here, follow me".
We quietly made our way through Thranduil's halls and ended up in the cellars. At an elevated table there were a couple of elves, surround by a number of empty wine bottles.
"This way" Bilbo whispered, leading us past the elves.
"I don't believe it" Kili grumbled "we're in the cellars!"
"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur growled.
"Hush, my love" I whispered, worried that Bofur's harsh outburst would attract unwanted attention.
"I know what I'm doing" Bilbo hissed back. "This way".
He led us a bit further in and stopped next to a stack of empty barrels. A quick glance told me there would be one barrel per dwarf and even one for Bilbo and myself. That's what Bilbo planned all along!
"Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!" Bilbo said.
"Are you mad?!" Dwalin asked "they'll find us!".
"No, no, they won't, I promise you" Bilbo replied. "Please, please, you must trust me!"
While the dwarves were milling around I nudged Bofur. "Give me a hand" I said indicating a barrel on the bottom row. I was concious of the stares from the others as Bofur held my arms, while I eased my legs into the barrel.
"Do as he says" Thorin ordered once I was as comfortable as I could get.
There was a bit of a scramble to get into the barrels, but the dwarves were soon settled.
"What do we do now?" Bofur asked from the barrel above me.
"Hold your breath" Bilbo replied making his way over to a lever in the floor.
"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur asked completely clueless.
"He means stop talking and preserve your air" I replied as Bilbo's hand closed on the lever. "We're about to end up in the river!"
The lever was pulled and the floor started tipping up. The barrels began rolling down the slope and through a hole in the floor. I held my breath and braced myself as I hit the water. Once my barrel righted itself I coughed to expel the water that had gone up my nose. I winced as pain flared up in my chest and, pushing my wet hair out of my face, I looked around to see how the others had fared. Besides being wet and slightly annoyed, they all seemed to be fine; even Bilbo. The hobbit surfaced spluttering next to Nori's barrel, which he grabbed onto.
"Well done, Master Baggins" Thorin said with a smile. "Let's go".
W paddled with our hands as the river pulled our barrels along with its current. We emerged into sunlight and I could see a waterfall looming directly in front of us.
"Hold on!" Thorin yelled.
I closed my eyes as the water crashed over me, and thought of nothing else apart from keeping my grip on the barrel. After surviving the rapids, we floated swiftly along the river towards a sharp turn. I heard a horn sound behind us and realised the elves had discovered us missing. Once around the corner, a guard-post greeted us. One of the guards pulled a lever and closed the sluice gates just as Thorin's barrel reached them.
"No!" he yelled, banging on the metal.
The elves drew their swords as our barrels bumped into each other. Suddenly one elf fell backwards; the shaft of an arrow protruding from his back. We all looked up to see a horde of orcs clamber up and over the wall and through the bushes.
"Watch out" Bofur yelled "those are Orcs!"
The orcs started throwing themselves at us. Bilbo killed one with his little sword; Dwalin elbowed another in the face, and all I could do was whimper as yet another aimed for me.
"Arrrggghhh!" Bifur yelled as he grabbed the orc and head-butted it into submission.
"Thank you" I wheezed as the orc disappeared into the water. I was definitely not giving off the impression the daughters of men weren't weak.
"Kili!" Fili yelled suddenly making me turn around.
I looked up at the walkway and my stomach dropped when I saw Kili hit the floor; an arrow protruding from his thigh. An orc jumped towards Kili but stopped as an arrow embedded itself into his head. I glanced around and saw Tauriel emerge from the bushes and start killing the orcs. While the orcs were distracted by more elves converging on them, Kili staggered to his feet and pulled on the lever; opening the gates. The barrels started moving swiftly down the river and I looked back anxiously to see Kili jump into his barrel with a grimace. Paddling was useless as the current was too strong, so I held on for dear life as elves and orcs jumped on some of the barrels, and fought alongside the river. Thorin, Bofur and Dwalin cut down an overhanging log that many orcs were standing on; causing them to fall into the water. The water got a bit rougher so I ducked my head and clenched my teeth, and tried to ignore the pain I was in. Eventually the elves and orcs gave up and the river started to slow down.
"Anything behind us?" Thorin called as he paddled along.
"Not that I can see" Balin replied.
"I think we've outrun the orcs" Bofur added.
"Not for long" Thorin replied "we've lost the current".
"Bombur is half drowned" Dwalin called out.
I looked around to spot a barrel sitting very low in the water.
"Make for the shore!" Thorin ordered "come on, let's go!"
We paddled madly for the shore and started falling out of our barrels. Bofur and Bifur helped me to the shore and started wringing water from their clothes and beards.
"Are yer alright'?" Bofur asked sitting next to me.
"Yes, I just hope I didn't loose that medicine Tauriel gave me" I replied. I felt for the vial and was relieved to find it had survived the river as well, and I pulled it out. I placed a few drops on my tongue and returned it to its safe place.
Bofur seemed relieved until he turned around to look at Kili, who had collapsed on a rock nearby.
"I'm fine, it's nothing" Kili said pressing his hand to the wound.
"On your feet" Thorin demanded after Bombur had been rescued from his barrel.
"Kili's wounded" Fili retorted "his leg needs binding".
"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving" Thorin replied curtly.
"To where?" Balin asked.
"To the mountain; we're so close" Bilbo replied.
"A lake lies between us and that mountain" Balin said. "We have no way to cross it".
"So then we go around" Bilbo countered.
"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight" Dwalin replied. "We have no weapons to defend ourselves".
Thorin turned to Fili "bind his leg quickly. You have two minutes".
While we waited, the dwarves continued to squeeze water from their clothes. Suddenly Dwalin leapt up with a branch in his hand. The dwarves and I spun around to find a man armed with a bow standing above us. He fired an arrow into Dwalin's makeshift weapon as the dwarf started to charge at him. The man quickly changed direction and shot the rock Kili was holding clean out of his hand.
"Do it again, and you're dead" the man said, knocking another arrow.
"Would that be a good idea Bard?" I said leaning on Bofur's arm to stand up and face our attacker.
"Anduin?" Bard said incredulously as he lowered his bow.
"It's been a long time" I replied keeping hold of Bofur's hand.
"That it has" Bard said stepping down the rocks until he was as close to me as Bofur would let him.
"Excuse me" Balin called, cautiously stepping towards Bard. "You're from Lake Town if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?"
-x-
A/N: three more chapters after this one and part two of my Hobbit trilogy is done. So what did every one think? I would love to hear it, good, bad or otherwise.
Until next time.
Gaubdukhima gagin yakulib Mahal!
(may we meet again with the grace of Mahal!)