Chapter 19
Thorin paced his cell. Where was Bilbo? Where was Bilbo? He had frantically looked at all the cells was forced to pass, but he couldn't see Bilbo in any of them. Thorin was far past being frantic. He was now in absolute terror. He had just lost his son. HE WOULD NOT LOSE HIM AGAIN!
Thorin turned to face the Elves. "The king wishes to see you."
Thorin huffed and followed. He looked around still. Hoping against hope that Bilbo had lived secretly in the palace. It was a foolish hope. His only son was still trapped in the forest. Alone. Thorin's mind clashed against the thought.
Thranduil leaned forward on his throne. "What are you doing, journeying East?"
"Traveling to visit the Iron Hills."
"With such weapons?"
"You have seen the darkness coming back to the land."
Thranduil nodded slowly and then leaned back and smiled. "It would not be a quest, would it? A quest to reclaim a homeland." His dark eyes sliced into Thorin's. "And slay a dragon?"
Thorin stayed silent. Thranduil didn't mind. He got up and smoothly walked down the steps. "You enter into my land, shoot at my squirrels, and disrupt many of my feasts." Thranduil stared at Thorin.
Thorin growled. "So you are keeping us here because of petty offenses?"
"No." Thranduil faced Thorin. "I am keeping you here, so Smaug can still sleep." He glared at the Dwarf. "If you awaken that Dragon, not only you will die, but everyone will. Laketown will be in ruins. None can defeat the Dragon. What will it do? Go back to it's mountain? Nay! It will continue on! Greenwood will be charred. The Elves scattered." He turned to Thorin. "You are a king. You understand. I must look after my people. This is not their quest. They have not asked to be hunted by a Dragon."
Thorin snapped his head up. "We will kill it!"
"And what are the chances of that?" Thranduil asked, bored. "Nay, Dwarf. Not even an army of Elves could defeat a Dragon without heavy casualties." He looked at Thorin. "You are arrogant to even think you can succeed. Your gems are lost." He looked in the direction of Erebor. "As are mine." He nodded to the guards and turned away from Thorin.
"Wait!"
Thranduil paused and looked at him, intrigued. "Yes?"
"I have…there was one in my company who is not among us. I fear for his life alone in the woods."
Thranduil frowned. "My men searched the area and found no one else."
Thorin's eyes widened. "No…"
Thranduil sighed. "I will have them search it again." He waved his hand in dismissal and left the hall.
Bilbo watched the proceedings. His heart broke in half when he saw the defeated look in Thorin's eyes. He frowned and shook his head. The Elves weren't monsters, and they did have a point. It was a very large gamble, with thousands of lives, to wake up Smaug. And for what? A mountain full of gold?
Wasn't the old saying "Home is where the heart is"? Why couldn't the Dwarves keep to such sayings? Bilbo sighed. His father wished the mountain back. He would not disgrace himself by leaving them to rot.
It took many days until he formed a plan that could work. It took many more days until he located all the Dwarves in the dungeon. It took at least two weeks total until he had the opportunity to get them out.
Feast of Starlight. Bilbo thanked Elrond for showing him the Elven Calendar of holidays! He hurried to the dungeons. Balin was lamenting over the fact that they were truly lost. Bilbo slipped off the ring and grinned. "No you're not!"
All the Dwarves in the area suddenly teleported themselves against the bars. "Bilbo!"
Bilbo shushed them and looked around. "Okay, I have an idea of how to escape, but you're going to have to do everything I say."
Balin nodded. "We will obey our Prince."
Bilbo gave him a look. "Fíli's the Steward."
Fíli rolled his eyes. "So what? Why do you keep bringing it up?!"
Bilbo snickered and started unlocking all the doors. He swiftly led them to where Dwalin, Thorin, and Dori were being held. They were the three strongest Dwarves in the group.
Thorin's face, which had looked so pale and desolate, lit up and color came back. When Bilbo unlocked him, Thorin grabbed his son and rest their foreheads together. He murmured quietly. "I thought you were dead. Oh my son, oh my Bilbo." He slipped a hand around the back of Bilbo's neck and held him in the hug. Bilbo relaxed into his father's embrace. "I will not mourn you a third time." Thorin looked down and then started. "What have you done with your shoes?"
Bilbo blushed. "Remember when I had to climb that tree? Well, the shoes kept getting in my way…so I just kicked them off. Good thing too. The spiders would have heard me a mile away in those things." Thorin sighed and shook his head.
"How will I tame your Hobbit blood?" Bilbo snickered. Thorin pulled away and smiled. "And do you have a plan for our escape?"
Bilbo nodded and then winced. "But you may not like it…" He quickly led all the Dwarves to the cellars. Bofur was highly displeased.
Kíli was glaring at him. In fact, all the Dwarves were confused and glaring at him, except Thorin. Bilbo rolled his eyes. "Will you please get into the barrels?!"
Thorin looked at his men sharply. "Do as he says!"
They grumbled but obeyed and got into the barrels. Bofur poked his head out rather comically. "What do we do now?"
Bilbo couldn't suppress a smirk. "Hold you breath." He yanked the lever. When all the barrels fell into the river, his smirk fell. "Damn."
He ended up falling into the river quite by accident. Thorin shook his head. "Don't do that to me again!" He yanked his son up and into Kíli's barrel.
Bilbo saw the Elves running along the branches of the trees and along the riverbank. He also saw Azog's Orcs. "Ada!" Thorin looked and cursed.
The gate was closing. Bilbo looked up at the lever. He pushed and climbed over Kíli and onto the stone pathway. The Elves were busy fighting off the Orcs. They had also, for some reason, started running interference for the Dwarves. Bilbo dodged an arrow and ran to the lever. He felt something burn his thigh and saw an arrow slice the pants and cut open the skin. It flashed in agony, but Bilbo focused on his task of opening the gates. When the gates opened, Bilbo rolled over and trusted Kíli to catch him. His cousin did.
They went down the river, craning their necks to watch the Elves kill off the remainders of the Orc pack. Bilbo gave a shout, and Thorin sighed but threw his blade. It killed the Orc before the Orc could kill the Elf prince. Bilbo smiled at his father. Thorin only nodded. He would treat the Elves well, because his son was so enthralled by them.
Note to self, temper Bilbo's love for the Elves after Erebor is re-claimed. He scowled slightly. The very thought of his son loving Elves was nauseating.
