"Not all Elves hate Dwarves," Linwe was saying to Tauriel as they ate supper one evening. Tauriel had been commenting on the differences between the races when she had said that Elves and Dwarves were forever sundered.
"Don't let the king hear you say that," she said with a laugh.
"I assume he is of the ilk that do not care for Dwarrows?" Linwe questioned.
"He hates them more than most. Of course, I do not know why, but Legolas might," Tauriel said.
"Legolas might what?" the prince asked, coming to sit with the two women.
"Know why your ada can't stand the naugrim," Linwe said. She held up a bottle of wine and offered it to the prince. He noticed it was some of the best Dorwinion and wondered is his father had given it to her or she had simply taken it.
He accepted the wine and said, "Whatever it was, it happened centuries ago, when I was barely an Elfling. You know he tells me little."
After they ate they were going to "train" outside, but the king called Tauriel and Legolas to the throne room, and Linwe followed, having little else to do. Besides, she was curious.
"The patrol guards informed me that there are trespassers along the Elven Path. Many of them. The two of you, get a squadron together and go. Bring them to me. Preferably alive. The Elves who are on patrol made the path disappear but I would rather find out who dares cross into my lands than just let them rot out there. They need to be taught a lesson."
Seated there on his high throne, long legs crossed and head leaning back onto the wood-carved antlers (contrary to popular belief, they were not real) and long hair glistening in the light, those words that were meant to sound menacing sounded very...suggestive to Linwe. She had to swallow around a lump in her throat before speaking.
"And what about me, my lord?"
Thranduil looked down at her, his expression bland. "What about you?"
"May I not go, too?" she asked. "I could be of help."
The king shook his head, silky hair caressing his neck as he moved. "No, you may not. You have not yet had sufficient enough training under my guard for me to be comfortable sending you into battle. You may, however, help prepare cells. At least a dozen. And alert the guards to be prepared."
"Yes, my lord," she said, bowing and walking away.
Thranduil watched her go, torn between two different types of anxiety. One was at his intruders, of course. It had been a very long time since anyone aside from Orc filth had trespassed on his land. The other source of worry was with Linwe. He had, of course, witnessed the princess training with Tauriel and knew that she was just playing along with him. She could fight as well as his own son could. And he was not forbidding her to go because he was playing along as well. No, he was putting his foot down for another reason: he was worried. If these intruders were well-armed, or perhaps the spiders came along, she could be hurt or worse.
He hated being so vulnerable, with his heart now on the line again for the first time in two thousand years. But he could not lie to himself: he cared for Linwe. And he would keep her safe if he could.
It was four hours before Tauriel and Legolas returned, the Elven army capturing...thirteen Dwarves! She helped them put some of them in their prisons, tuning her ears out from their curses. Dwarves claim not to care at all about Elves, but they sure learned enough Sindarin to curse them! They were also covered in spiderwebs, so apparently they had been confronted by the Ungoliants.
She went to Thranduil to let him know who they had captured-a grey-bearded little one had given away the leader's name accidentally-and she witnessed her king's face drain of what little color it had.
"Bring the thaurer to me immediately," he said. He never ordered Linwe around, but the princess could tell that he was incensed with anger and so she didn't take offense. She went to find another guard and walked to the leader's cell.
"Thorin Oakenshield?" she said and he looked up at her, his glaring blue eyes making her feel somehow at fault for his predicament. "To your feet." Stubbornly, he just sat there in the corner of the tiny cell. "Either get up and come willingly or I will drag you out myself, do you hear me?"
Something in her look or the sound of her voice got through to him and he did stand. She gripped one of his arms and Feren, the guard, gripped the other. He did not fight them as they led him to the throne room, and Linwe had to wonder who this Dwarf was and what he had done to Thranduil. Thankfully, she could stick around to watch and listen.
"Some may say a noble quest at hand: a quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself however suspect a more...prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, perhaps, or something of that ilk." Thranduil stalked around Thorin like a predator. "You have found a way in. You seek that which will bestow upon you the right to rule. The King's Jewel; the Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure." Thranduil's face softened and most would think he was being conciliatory. Linwe knew better. This was just another mask to get him what he wanted. "I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I, too, desire. White gems of pure starlight."
Really? He's mad at Thorin because the Dwarf has some jewelry? Linwe thought. There has to be a deeper reason than that. Perhaps the gems were stolen from him? Linwe was pleased that her king was offering the Dwarf (who must be a prince ready for coronation, judging by the discourse she had heard) a deal. She did not like seeing these Dwarves-some of whom must be quite old for their kind- trapped in cells simply because they needed a shortcut to their destination.
But the Dwarrow had the nerve, not just to insult the king and do so in a voice which ensured that half the kingdom heard, but to threaten him and wish him a death due to dragonfire? Linwe wanted to jump in a defend the king, but she knew better. Thranduil had it handled.
She was surprised that Thranduil showed him his scars. Apparently they were from a dragon, which he had not told her. But he was certainly intimidating under normal circumstances, and the scar's effect made it much worse. She could see that Thorin was a little more disconcerted than he had been.
He dismissed Thorin, letting Linwe and Feren take him back to the cell. She tossed him in unceremoniously and walked away, witnessing a sight that gave her cause for amusement: Tauriel being flirted with by one of the Dwarves! And what's worse, Legolas was watching, thinking himself hidden. Was the prince jealous of a Dwarf? Really? She had always thought that he liked Tauriel as more than a friend, and it looked like she was right.
I bet he never thought he'd have to compete with someone a foot shorter and that much harier than he, she thought amusedly.
Linwe went to Thranduil, to see if he was well and possibly to get some information out of him. He was drinking at a table in the throne room, writing out a scroll of spider vanquishing plans. She just watched him, knowing that his calm exterior belied the turmoil that must be inside of him.
"My lord?" He looked up, letting a small smile caress his lip
s. "Linwe. May I help you?" He put his quill down and looked at her.
"I was wondering if you were well, my lord. The confrontation with Thorin seemed to unsettle you for a moment, and I was just concerned." She kept eye contact with him, knowing he appreciated it. While keeping her head down would be a show of respect, maintaining eye contact would let him know she was not afraid of him. He would appreciate the challenge more than the respect.
"Perceptive as always, aren't we?" he said. "I am fine. Thank you for your concern."
She did not leave, as most would. Instead, she had questions that deserved answers. "Who is Thorin and what is the Arkenstone? Why do the two of you dislike one another?"
Thranduil closed his eyes, gathering his patience. "Linwe, did you ever hear of the great Dwarf kingdom of Erebor?"
"Erebor...the Lonely Mountain. You have a view of it from your chambers, isn't that right?" Linwe said.
He nodded. "Until sixty years ago, it was the greatest kingdom of Dwarrows. But the the dragon Smaug came and overtook it, causing half the kingdom's deaths. The ones who survived had to leave and make new homes for themselves. Thorin's grandfather, King Thror, was the one who caused the kingdom to fall."
"You said you told him what his greed would summon. Why did he not listen?"
Thranduil waved a dismissive hand. "It is called dragon sickness. It only affects Dwarves, because they covet gold over everything else."
"And the jewels you mentioned? Forgive my prying, but I do not like being left in the dark over such matters. I am in your kingdom; I should know what's going on," she said.
"The jewel you wear, the one your sister has the mate to...those starlight gems are very precious to the Eldar, as you well know. What you might not know is that they are incredibly difficult to make. Our people do not mine or hew or work metals. So, we must rely on others to make them for us. I had commissioned Thror's ancestor to make certain jewels for me...for my wife. This was long ago. Legolas was an Elfling and you might not have even been born yet. They had not finished making them by the time my wife had passed. Thror himself had been the one to finish the jewels. Though my wife was no longer with us, I still wanted the gems. I had sent an emissary ahead of me to give payment to the Dwarves, and by the time I had gotten there I expected to have my gems.
"But the dragon sickness had already begun to take hold on the king, and he insisted that I had not paid him enough. He refused to give me what I had paid for. It was then I had told him what was happening to him. The Arkenstone should never have been unearthed and it cast upon that kingdom a curse which could never be broken. The dragon was attracted to that greed. I gave Thror a chance by telling him what he needed to do, but he did not heed my warning." Thranduil gave an elegant shrug. "So I left them to their fate. I did my part and they would not listen."
Linwe's heart went out to her king. How he must still miss his wife! While she thought that Thror had been a greedy, evil king, Thorin was not his grandfather. She felt that Thranduil should not punish the grandson for the grandfather's sins. She did not say that, however.
"Thorin...he's going to try and get back to Erebor? Won't he wake the dragon?" she asked.
Thranduil arched an eyebrow. "Now do you see why I am holding him prisoner? Better he die in here than kill us all."
Linwe nodded. That was understandable, but she also felt that it was not Thranduil's choice to make. He could not control others' lives as if he were one of the Valar. She would let him cool down before broaching the subject with him again.
"Thank you for the information, my lord. I will go and assist Feren with the celebration preparations," she said, bowing to him. It was the Feast Of Starlight, and the parties were already beginning in their halls. She had never taken part in the event, because the Elves of Imladris preferred sunlight to starlight.
"Send Tauriel in to me if you see her," he said, before he began to write again.
Linwe exited, found Tauriel and then went to the cellars to assist. Like the king, her version of assistance was to simply order around the Silvan Elves carrying barrels of food and wine, and she knew Thranduil appreciated her take charge personality.
When she was sure they were doing everything right (and had properly admonished Feren and the Elf who kept the keys to the prisons for drinking too much of the king's wine), she went to check on the prisoners. Most of them were asleep, but at Thorin's cell, she was greeted with a sight that nearly made her faint: there was someone outside his cell doors!
Hiding herself in the shadows, she observed and listened. The creature was tiny, maybe only a little over four feet tall, with honey curls and wearing what looked like a red velvet, well-cut suit. He had no beard, so he was not a Dwarf. She then saw his abnormally large and hairy feet and realised he was a Hobbit, a Halfling as the Elves deemed them. How had he gotten in and what was he doing with Thorin?
"I knew you would come," Thorin said, his face and voice softer than she had heard it. "How did you get past the Elves?"
"Don't worry about that. Are you well? You are not hurt?" the Hobbit asked, his voice filled with worry.
Thorin shook his head. "Just my pride, Bilbo."
Linwe saw that their hands were linked through the bars, the Hobbit (Bilbo, she reminded herself) gripping with a bit more desperation than the Dwarf was. They had nearly a foot of height difference and were the picture of tortured lovers.
"I was so worried, Thorin," Bilbo said. "I thought they might hurt you. I thought I might be too late to save you."
"But you are not too late. I have every faith that you will get us out of here," Thorin said. He used one hand to brush against the Hobbit's curls and settle there. "My little burglar."
Linwe felt herself blush a little as the Dwarf king bent his head and kissed the little Hobbit through the bars, his long, matted hair obscuring the other man. Thorin reached his arms through the bars to pull Bilbo as close as possible, gripping the fabric of his shirt as if for dear life. She heard Bilbo whimper into the kiss.
"You must go. Hide. I cannot bear to see you prisoner, too," Thorin whispered.
"I don't want to leave you," Bilbo admitted, his head down and tears beginning to spill down his cheeks.
Thorin tilted Bilbo's chin up with one finger and gave him the softest, sweetest kiss Linwe had ever seen; full of love and light. Her breath caught, picturing Thranduil kissing her like that one day, his perfect pout melting against her lips like they were meant for each other only.
With one last, longing look, Bilbo left Thorin's side. Linwe wanted to spy and see what the king was feeling, but she had bigger fish to fry. In truth, she should have caught up with the Hobbit and imprisoned him as well. Her head told her that that was what Thranduil would've wanted. But her head knew better. She loved her king, but he was not always the wisest man. She followed the Hobbit and saw him reach into his pocket for something. Noticing the sword at his hip, she would not let him draw yet another weapon if, in fact, that was his intent.
She drew her dagger and pressed it gently against his back, saying, "If you make a sound, I'll put this right through your back. Get that hand out of your pocket and it had better be empty."
He went rigid, and she could hear his teeth chattering. He did do as she said, so that was good.
"Who are you, Bilbo? What are you doing in this kingdom, fraternizing with our prisoners?" she asked.
"I-I-I...I was traveling with them," he squeaked, slowly turning to face Linwe.
"How were you not captured with them? And how did you enter the Woodland Realm unseen? That has not happened in six thousand years," she said.
"I am quite small, you see, and…" he trailed off. She did not believe him, but let that go as he continued to talk. "Please, I do not want trouble. Please, let me go."
"So you can roam around unseen in Elven lands? You are lucky that the king did not catch you. You'd be with the Valar by now, certainly. Why should I let you go?"
Bilbo looked down at his feet again. "You should not. I am an intruder. But you should not leave Thorin locked up! He is only trying to go home! Please, let him go home."
The vehemence in his voice made Linwe smile. He was protecting his love as she would have protected hers. "Will that home be your home as well?" she asked.
He nodded, blushing.
"Come with me," she said, grabbing him roughly by the sleeve and taking him with her down into the cellars. Very few Elves were about, as they were at the treetops and beyond, celebrating. They hid at the top of the stairs and she said, "Those keys on the hook, they open the cells your Dwarves are in. If you can remain unseen for at least an hour, these guards will be completely oblivious, as they have been sneaking too much of Lord Thranduil's Dorwinion even after I told them not to. Once they have passed into drunken stupor, you should be able to free your friends."
Bilbo looked up at her, eyes bright and confused. "Why are you helping me? Or will you have Elves waiting to kill us as we escape? Oh, how I wish I had gone back to Rivendell!"
"Rivendell?" Linwe asked, surprised. "You have met with Lord Elrond?"
Bilbo nodded. "He helped us read our map, but he said we should not have continued with the quest."
"Sounds like him. Give you everything and then tell you that you cannot use anything," Linwe scoffed. "Do you see those empty barrels?" She pointed and he nodded. "Usually there are fourteen, but we're one short today. You can just squeeze in Thorin's barrel with him." She winked. "Get the Dwarves inside and pull that lever. There's a bargeman who picks them up later in the day, and the river will take you quite close to Esgaroth. Perhaps you can ride with him into the town. He is a nice Man."
"Again, why are you helping me?" Bilbo asked.
Placing her hand on his she said, "I know what it is like to want to save the one you love, to do everything you can to protect them and watch them succeed. So go save him." She left Bilbo then, praying she had done the right thing and that Thranduil would not find out it was she who had aided an enemy to escape.