This will be a long chapter again!
So grab some popcorn and enjoy.
/
The Company started their search for that hidden door after breakfast. Thorin and Lindsey had decided to keep the message from Legolas a secret for once. They needed to focuse on that door now and so they searched the western reaches of the mountain.
They set up their camp in the security of a basin where the destruction by Smaug was not that fatal.
"Bofur, Bombur, I'd like you to keep an eye on the ponies" Thorin said before turning to the rest. He let his eyes drift over them.
"I want you to split into pairs. Search the paths up the mountain"
They nodded and splitted up. Dwalin and Balin, Bifur and Ori, Dori and Nori, Oin and Gloin, Fili and Kili with Lindsey, Thorin and Bilbo.
"According to the map the entrance must be somewhere up that mountain. We have to find it!", Thorin said while Bilbo searched the grey stone.
They searched the whole day and decided to climb back down to the camp at the setting of the sun. "No sign of that entrance. It's hopeless..." Gloin grumbled but Thorins lips curled up slightly.
"There is still hope, my friends"
The Company looked up at their leader but only Lindsey knew what he meant to say and she smiled as well.
Yes, hope was still up.
If Legolas would really help Kate to escape.
After dinner the Company laid down to sleep. But two of them prayed for the safety of their beloved one.
'Please, god, make Kate escape safely', Lindsey prayed.
'Please, Mahal, Durin and all my ancestors, let me hold her in my arms again', Thorin prayed.
The sun was nearly gone. Darkness covered them.
/
Kate had just put on the armor and the helmet, watched herself in the mirror at the wall. Legolas had been right, the armor really fit her. Though she had not a big grown belly yet, it was just very slightly and so nobody would recognize she was pregnant.
Suddenly a thought hit her. How was she supposed to pretend being an elf-guard without any kind of weapon?
It was by then that the door opened. Kate jumped, feared Tauriel or any other guard would enter the room. She was relieved to see it was Legolas.
"You scared me to death" she breathed and could see his lips curl a bit.
"I didn't mean to scare you. Now let me take a look at you...the armor suits you very well. The helmet covers your face. Perfect. Now there's one last thing" he said and took an elvish sword, handed it to her.
She took it and weigh it in her hands. It was thin and so different like Orcrist for example.
"That's a one-handed sword. Are you used to swords?"
She nodded slowly, her mind drifted back to the sword-lessons back in Rivendell and a smile curled her lips.
"Yes, Thorin teached me. I'm not an expert but I can use this to defend me or the people I love" she replied with a strong voice now.
Legolas nodded and stepped closer, placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready for your escape?"
She took a deep breath and nodded. There was nothing else she was more prepared to.
"Wait...what about the coat?"
"Don't worry, there is someone keeping it safe until we reach the shore of the Sea City of Men"
"But I thought you said we will ignore it? And who is it?"
"A friend. He will wait there, give you the coat and then we will continue our way to Erebor"
She thought for a moment who that friend might be and if they really could trust him.
"Thank you. So, what now?" she finally said and watched him.
"Follow me. I will lead you down to the cell blocks. Try not to speak with any of the guards and if you have to just give short answers"
"Fine, let's go"
She could feel her heart bang in her chest.
Legolas opened the door and looked down the hallway.
"Alright, let's go" he said and they left the room. He closed the door behind them and walked along the hallway. Kate followed him, they were passing some guards. They only bowed their heads slightly towards Legolas but did not pay much attention to Kate. She was very nervous, tried not to trip over her own feet or do something suspicious.
Soon they reached the lower level of the palace and Kate recognized the dark and dusty hallways of the cell blocks. Bad memories came up.
"I guess this is a good spot to hide. Just stay here"
"What if someone asks me what I'm doing here? Or are there any more prisoners in here?"
"Some...just say you're keeping an eye on Farir. He's a thief, he deserves to be in jail"
She nodded, kept silent and positioned herself between two cells.
"I'll go up to my father now. Stay calm. I'll be back soon"
He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a confident smile. Despite the dim light his eyes shone bright.
"Cormlle naa tanya tel'raa" he whispered and winked.
She frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Your heart is that of the lion"
She chuckled and gestured him to hurry now. He turned around walked up the hallway again.
Kate started praying that his plan will turn out well.
/
"Father!"
Legolas entered the throne hall, pretended to be out of breath like he was running the whole way.
"What's the matter, son?"
"The prisoner...Kate, she is gone!" he called out.
"WHAT?!" Thranduils voice boomed up and he was on his feet within seconds.
Legolas looked at his father. He could see his plan was working. The king was angry.
"That's impossible! She cannot escape! Not again! NOT again! I want ALL of you to search for her! Search every corner of the palace. Check every barrel down in the cellar! Bring her to me! Find her! But remember, I need her alive! She is no use if she's dead!"
Tauriel entered the throne hall as well, confused what was happening.
When Thranduil told her she was furious.
"Legolas! Go take some guards and search in the woods! I will check the palace!" she said and Legolas nodded, left the throne hall.
Hiding a victorious smile he ran down along the hallways, entering the cell blocks.
Kate could hear footsteps and her heart pumped faster again, she held her breath for a second.
She breathed out relieved as soon as the blonde hair of Legolas turned around the corner, a smile on his face.
"It's done. My father will sent out guards to search the palace. Tauriel wants me to take some guards and search outside in the woods. Just like I planned. I know it's a high risk but we will take two or three more guards with us. Don't worry, I have a plan to distract them as well. Come on, follow me"
They ran along the hallway, bumped into Tauriel.
"You should search along the rivershore, my prince. If she escaped through the trapdoors again she might be somewhere in the river. Maybe in a barrel again. There are two other guards waiting for you. That makes you four, that should be enough to catch and bring her back."
Tauriel looked at Kate for a second and said:"Remember, we need her alive"
Kate nodded and followed Legolas, they met the two other guards outside a secret door leading out of the palace directly into the woods.
The four of them followed the path leading away from the palace, crossed a bridge and entered the woods.
Legolas' mind was rushing, he had to get rid of those two guards.
"Did you hear that?" he stopped and turned to look around.
"No, my prince. What did you hear?"
Legolas eyes were fixed on a point in the distance. "I guess I heard light footsteps down there! I want the two of you go into that direction! We will take the path towards the river. Maybe we can circle her. She won't be able to leave these woods!"
Silence fell over them until the two guards bowed their heads and ran into the wood, away from Legolas and Kate.
"Come on, quick!", Legolas said and together they ran down the path which was leading directly down to the rivershore.
They were close to it when suddenly Kate stopped.
"They are coming" she breathed and Legolas could hear footsteps behind.
He listened carefully and could hear this was only one person.
And he was certain who that was. He grabbed Kates hand.
"Run" he whispered and they ran hand in hand, he led her through high grass and through high oak trees.
Finally they reached the shore. There was a small boat ready for them to use when suddenly a voice spoke up behind them.
"You really thought you can make a fool of me?"
Kate closed her eyes. That's it. That was the end.
She turned around and saw Tauriel watching both of them.
"Tauriel, you better go back to the palace" Legolas said in a determined voice. The elf-woman was slightly taken aback by the tone of his normally soft voice.
"You planned this all along? And you really thought this could turn out well? Legolas, I thought you...you knew how important she is for your father. For our folk!"
Kate sensed that Tauriel was really belied. She could see that this woman had some feelings for that elf-prince but that doesn't make her a better person at all.
Legolas saw a movement out from the corner of his eyes. Kate had pulled off the helmet.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"She already knew that it's me. There's no need to keep my face longer behind this mask"
Tauriels eyes narrowed. "If the king wouldn't want you to be alive I would kill you right here! Right now!"
"So do it! Just do it!" Kate yelled.
"That's not what I'm supposed to do..."
Now Kate chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I forgot. You're just a puppet of the king. An elf-woman without her own will. Unable to act like she wants to. I feel so sorry for you. You're so...weak"
Legolas stepped between them. "Stop it, both of you"
"Step aside, Legolas!" Tauriel said, draw her elvish daggers.
Kate drew her sword.
"Come and show me that you're a fighter! Show me that you're strong!" Kate teased her.
Legolas did not know what to do.
His eyes drifted between the two women. Suddenly he drew his bow.
"Cuamin linduva yassen megrille" (My bow shall sing with your sword) he said and took an arrow, readied it and pointed it at Tauriel.
"You're a betrayer to your fathers blood!", Tauriel yelled.
"I don't care about that. My father is a sick man!"
Tauriel yelled and rushed forward, but Legolas was unable to shoot his arrow, he hesitated. It was Kate who jumped between him and the elf-woman. Her sword clashed against the daggers, managed to disarm one hand of Tauriel. Now she only had one dagger left.
She threw it at Kate, but she swung her sword, ducked and managed to hit the dagger in the air, sent it flying into the river.
Now the elf took her bow and readied an arrow. Suddenly she took a sharp breath in. Kate could see an arrow sticking in Tauriels shoulder. She cried out in pain, pulled the arrow out of her shoulder.
Legolas readied another arrow, pointing it at Tauriel. She was still able to ready another arrow and shot it. It brushed Kates upper arm but she was able to duck away in time.
'This is for you, my love' Kate thought and rushed at the elf woman, raised her sword and slashed Tauriels shoulder.
She cried out in pain, dropped on her knees. With utmost willpower she managed to get on her feet again, tried to take another arrow but Kate whirled around, just like Thorin teached her and rammed the sword into the elf womans abdomen. Blood dripped out of her wound as Kate pulled the sword back. Tauriel dropped on her knees again, a stream of blood slowly dripping out of the corner of her mouth. With a last guttural sound she dropped down, and stopped breathing.
Kate was breathing hard, her eyes filled with tears. She never had to kill something close to a human being. Killing an Orc or warg was different. Legolas stepped closer to her, pulled her into his arms.
"You had to do this...Kate, don't cry. She could have killed you..."
Kate sobbed against his shoulder.
"I never had to kill someone. I mean, I killed a warg once. But this is so...different"
"I know, but...it's done now. We have to hurry"
She nodded and let her eyes drift to the dead body of Tauriel one last time. Legolas helped her into the boat and he took the paddle and started to push away from the shore.
They travelled in silence. Covered by the darkness of the night they felt secure.
"She loved you..." Kate suddenly whispered.
"Maybe. I guess so,but I did not love her. I don't even feel sorry. You did everything right"
Kate looked up at the moon. It was bright and full in that night. A single tear ran down her cheek and she stroked her belly. Never had she thought she would be able to kill. And she was thankful for Thorins lessons back in Rivendell. Without him she would never had been able to kill someone. She sighed and watched Legolas. She had no idea what he was thinking about but he was aware of her watching him. He looked at her and gave her a smile.
"You can't go back to Mirkwood, am I right?"
He shrugged. "I might give it a try"
She chuckled. "I thought about this before...you fit so much better to Rivendell. I'm sure Lord Elrond might give you shelter if your father will outcast you"
"Rivendell is a beautiful place, indeed. But I'm more of a wood-elf. I think I would go to Lothlorien instead, seeking shelter with Lady Galadriel"
Kate nodded slowly.
"You should try get some sleep now. It was an exhausting evening. Your baby needs that rest"
She smiled and laid down on a blanket he spread for her. He gave her a soft pillow which was in his bag.
"Thank you, Legolas" she whispered before drifting to sleep.
"Quel kaima" (Sleep well)
/
Two days later the two of them reached the shore outside the Sea City of Men. Kates eyes were searching around, couldn't see anyone waiting for them. Her heart sank.
"Where is that friend of yours?" she asked.
"He will come, don't worry"
"But we cannot stay too long here. What if your father already sent out some guards?"
"He will sent out some. He will go to Erebor with an army, I'm certain about that. But that would also last some days. We're safe, Kate. For now, at least"
It was by then that they could hear the light sound of hooves coming closer. Kates eyes widened, teary-wet and a broad smile spread over her face.
The brown horse stopped in front of them and the friendly bearded face looked down at Kate and Legolas.
"Gandalf! Oh my god, it's you!" Kate called out and let herself sank into his arms as soon as he dismounted his horse.
"Kate O'Connell, you are a brave woman. I never doubted that", the wizard said. She stepped away from him. He gave her a smile and turned to take the leather-fur-coat from the back of his horse.
"I believe you want this back" he said and could see her eyes lit up. With trembling hands she took the coat and pressed her nose into the fur.
"Thank you...thank you so much. Will you come with us?"
"No, deary. I still have another important businesses to do but I sent a horse to the shore you're going to reach soon. I wish you good luck and I'm certain we'll see each other again when time wants us to"
She dressed herself with the coat and hugged Gandalf again.
"May your ways be green and golden" the wizard said before Kate and Legolas entered the boat again, making their way down the river.
/
Three days had passed and the Company still had not found the door. They were all frustrated and their hearts sank.
After studying the map each and every minute he pushed the dwarves to start searching the western slopes of the mountain. It was a dangerous way, the dwarves knew that but they had to find that door and so Thorin decided to trust Bilbo.
They moved their camp to a long valley, and immediately recognized that this part of the mountain was less destroyed. Smaug seemed to not have made that much damage there.
It was around early afternoon when Bilbo suddenly made a discovery. He was creeping behind a great stone that stood alone like a pillar and saw steps going upwards the mountain.
"Thorin! I think I found something!", the hobbit ran down to their camp and told them about the steps.
"That's it. That must be the way to the hidden entrance!" Bofur said happily and they all could feel a new hope.
They moved their camp a bit closer to the path. The hobbit, the dwarves and Lindsey walked up the path and reached the steps.
"Those are some rough steps" Lindsey said.
"Don't worry, my love. I will be here to secure you" Fili replied and kissed her cheek.
After climbing up higher and higher they soon reached a little steep-walled bay, grassy floored, still and quiet.
It was not a cave and open to the sky above. They could see that at its inner end there was a flat wall rising up.
"This wall looks...strange" Bilbo said and stepped closer, placed his hand on the cold, grey stone. He searched for any sign of door-like carvings, or something like a keyhole. But there was nothing to be seen.
"I have no doubt that this wall contains the door" Balin said and started pushing against the wall. One by one the whole Company pushed but nothing happened.
Thorin sighed.
"We should go back to camp. It's getting dark."
They left that place to take some rest. Their thoughts circled around the wall, while Thorin and Lindsey were still thinking about Kate.
On the next morning they split up again, though they were all certain that this strange wall contained the entrance, Thorin wanted his men to continue looking around if there is a sign of any other strange wall or even a door itself.
Bilbo, Bofur, Balin and Lindsey were still watching the wall. The day went on without anything happening.
"I have a feeling that something happens today" Bilbo suddenly said.
"And what could that be?" Bofur asked.
The hobbit shrugged. "Maybe Gandalf will return?"
Lindsey just huffed and turned her head towards the horizon. She saw a glimpse of the distant forest. As the sun turned west there was a gleam of yellow covering the treetops. Soon the sun lowered more and more and turned into an orange ball. Lindsey got up and walked to the edge of the cliff. And there she saw something.
"Bilbo?" she whispered and the hobbit looked up at her.
"What is it, Lindsey?"
She gestured him to step closer. When he stood next to her she pointed up into the sky.
And there they saw pale and faint a thin new moon above the rim of Earth. It was at the very moment they could hear a sharp crack behind them.
There, on the grey stone in the grass was a thrush, nearly black as coal with dark spots freckling its yellow chest.
Crack!
It had caught a snail and was knocking it on the stone.
Crack!
Crack!
Bilbos eyes widened and it was by then that he understood.
"HEY! COME ON! UP HERE! THORIN, COME ON! ALL OF YOU!" the hobbit suddenly shouted and gestured the dwarves down in the camp to climb up to them. They rushed up as fast as they could.
"What? What is it?" Thorin asked him alarmed.
Bilbo explained what just had happened, reminded them what Lord Elrond had told them what those Moon Runes on the map said.
The dwarves, Lindsey and the hobbit were standing in front of the wall, watching what might happen next. IF something might happen at all.
The sun sank lower and lower, time passed by and the dwarves started to become impatient.
The little moon was raising higher. Their hopes were on lowest when suddenly a red ray of sunlight came through the opening of the bay and fell on the smooth rock-face. The thrush gave a sudden trill and flew away.
Thorin could feel his heart bang faster in his chest, but he frowned. It was not the excitement that made his heart bump like this. This felt like his heart was going to connect again. With something. Or someone.
But this thought got pushed aside when a flake of rock splitted from the wall and fell down. A hole appeared about three feet from the ground.
The Company rushed forward, started pushing again but nothing happened.
"The key! Thorin, use the key!" Lindsey suddenly said and Thorin stepped up, took the key and pushed it into the small hole in the rock.
It fit and turned.
Snap!
The sun was finally gone, the moon was high in the sky and evening fell upon them.
"We have to push again!" Thorin commanded and they all started pushing again.
Slowly, ever so slowly a part of the rock-wall gave way. Long cracks appeared and widened. Finally a door was out-lined, and slowly without a sound swung inwards. The Company stood silent, too stunned. Darkness vapoured out of the entrance, deep darkness in which nothing could be seen lay before them.
"I made it...just in time" a voice said from behind.
Thorin whirled around, so did Lindsey. Eyes wide open, teary-wet, the two of them called in unison:
"Kate!"
/
Wow, that turned out to be much longer than I thought it would be!
I hope you like it! :)