Chapter 15: A Tearing of Hearts
Lord Elrond's prediction came true sooner than Lily could have guessed. As night fell, Thorin and the dwarves devised a plan to get Lily out. They had gotten suspiciously close to the inner chambers of the elf king without being noticed, and it told Thorin that something was out of place.
"Be on your guard. Something is wrong." He whispered while casting his eyes about in the dark woods, dotted with torches.
There was not an elf in sight. It made the dwarves feel uneasy. Soon Thorin and the group entered the chamber as stealthily as their heavy-set frames would allow. It all seemed like an abandoned kingdom, only putting the dwarves further on edge. Thorin was too intent on finding Lily to work out what exactly was happening. He began to search about for possible chambers that may host her. It was in their running from chamber to chamber that Ori nocked over a table in the hallway, sending a loud echoing crash throughout the chambers. Everyone froze, and Thorin cast a fuming eye back at the now shaking dwarf. Nothing. Not a sound, not a movement.
The sound made its way to the chamber where Lily sat on the bed, reaching her ears as well as the hobbit.
"That's them, I'm sure of it." Bilbo said, looking at the bedroom door.
Lily looked up with red eyes, she suddenly felt quite exhausted, and could not move. She too knew it was Thorin and the others, but she could not imagine how they had gotten in, unless Thranduil had instructed his men to allow it.
"You must go to them. You must tell them I will not come. Say I am too weak to make the journey, then you must follow them out using the ring. I need you to do this for me Bilbo." Lily said in a faint voice burdened with pain.
"What? Leave you? No! I was charged with minding you, and I shall!" He said in a defiant tone.
"Please, Bilbo, I am safe here, and you know it as well as I do. Now your service to me must be to get Thorin and the others out of here safely. They will need your help with the dragon far more than I will need it here." Lily said, gently stroking his cheek.
Bilbo glanced back at her with worried eyes, but could see she was earnest. He had sworn to take care of her, and this was her request to him. He would do it, even though his heart was heavy to leave her. He gave a small nod, to which Lily smiled gently. He then slipped on his ring and disappeared out of the chamber silently.
It did not take him long to follow the echoing foot-falls of the heavy dwarves. They were not far from Lily's chamber now. Thorin was the first to come into view, at which time Bilbo slipped the ring off to reveal himself once more. Thorin came to a skidding halt.
"Bilbo!" He said with his eyes wide in disbelief, "Where have you been all this time?"
"Minding Lily, as you had commanded me to." Bilbo said.
"Where is she? Take me to her!" Thorin said looking over Bilbo's shoulder.
"She will not come. She sent me to tell you she is too weak to make the journey. I will now accompany you all out of Mirkwood and continue on with our journey, but she will stay here with Thranduil and the elves." Bilbo explained sadly.
Thorin's eyes snapped onto the face of the small hobbit, and a look of suspicion crept into his features.
"You're lying, she is not too weak, the elves put you up to this." He said, looming over Bilbo.
"No, indeed, they have not. The words came directly from my lady. Your queen." He said, looking down.
Thorin stepped back as he inspected the pensive features of the hobbit. He cast his eyes over Bilbo's shoulders once more, but was not satisfied with his answer.
"Damn you!" He said, pushing Bilbo out of his way and running further along the passage.
All the dwarves followed their king, and Bilbo too ran behind. At the sight of the large oak doors, Thorin knew he had found Lily's chamber. He ran towards it and pushed the heavy doors open. As he stepped into the room, there she sat, unmoving on the bed. He ran to her side, relieved at finding her.
"My love, I have come for you, we must leave now, quickly!" He said, taking her hand and trying to lift her from the bed, but she would not move. Instead, her hand gently pulled him back towards her.
"I will not go. You must leave here without me. I cannot go on in this quest in the condition I am in. I will lose the baby Thorin." She said firmly, as she placed a hand on her belly. He stared at her intensely in disbelief. She then moved his hand to her belly to feel their child moving.
"I have to keep our child safe." She said in a wavering tone, tears brimming in her eyes, "Thranduil has promised me shelter, and the elves will handle the birth." Lily said looking down at his hand on her stomach.
"No, you shall birth our child in the chambers of Erebor, where the child belongs, not here, not with them!" Thorin said in a low tone.
"I don't want to leave, Thorin. Go." She said, looking at him with defiant eyes.
"You would rather stay here with the very people who betrayed my kin when we needed help the most?" Thorin said stepping forward and leaning over her slightly, his eyes ablaze.
"Yes." She said, her chin quivering, and her eyes awash in tears.
"I will not leave here without you!" Thorin said, grabbing her shoulders.
"You have no choice. Don't you find it odd that you met no oposition. They know you're here, they know why you've come, and they know I won't be leaving with you." Lily said firmly.
"Enough of this!" Thorin bellowed. He bent down and lifted Lily into his arms, carrying her out of the chamber, "Make for the cellar Bilbo had told us about, we will escape through the river!" He commanded,
"But my lord, Lily cannot travel down the river as she is..." Balin said in a concerned manner.
"She will be fine, I will take care of her as I always have." Thorin said, marching down the passage with Lily in his arms. His eyes were looking directly ahead, marching with purpose.
Lily was too weak to resist, and if she was honest, she enjoyed being in his arms again. Her mind was aching with the thought of having to get away from him, forcing him to move on in the journey without her. He was so intent on taking her, she was not sure how to free herself from him. She feared she would falter and go with him, and by doing so, she would put everyone at great risk.
As they reached the cellar the dwarves quickly began to pack themselves into the empty wine barrels that were to be sent down the river to Lake Town to be refilled. Lily watched with sadness as the rush carried on about her. One by one they were all in their barrels, and Bilbo sealed them in. Thorin was last, and he began to get into a large whiskey barrel which would have fit both of them well enough. He climbed in and held his hand out for Lily. She did not move. Bilbo merely sat watching the two in silence.
"Lily?" Thorin said, motioning for her to take his hand.
"No." Lily said, shaking her head and stepping back.
Bilbo quickly stepped forward and reminded Thorin of the situation, "We don't have much time. Thorin, she can't go, look at her, the river journey might kill us all, but her with the child, it is a certainty." Bilbo said looking at him earnestly.
Thorin's gaze was piercing and icy as he looked at the hobbit, partly because he did not like the nerve of the hobbit to interfere, but also partly because he knew he was right. Bilbo turned to look at Lily who nodded at him. In a moment of confusion Bilbo leaped into the barrel with Thorin, and a giant lid was sealed over them. Thorin began to hammer his fists on the side of the barrel,
"Lily! NO! LILY!" Thorin's voice boomed from within the barrel.
Tears began to flow freely once more for the exhausted Lily. She positioned herself behind the giant whiskey barrel and pushed with all her might, at which point all the barrels rolled swiftly out of the trap door and fell into the river below.
"I'm sorry!" Lily choked out as Thorin's barrel tipped over the edge.
"NO!" She heard Thorin yelling as he plunged into the river.
As she watched the barrels float down the river Lily felt soft hands upon her shoulders once more. She knew those hands by now. Thranduil stood behind her, looking over her shoulder into the river below.
"You did the right thing." He whispered.
The days following felt lonely and never-ending. Thranduil tried to keep Lily company as best he could, and despite herself she actually started to enjoy it. He began to show her a side that she never could have guessed was under his cold exterior.
One evening an urgent message was brought to Thranduil as he and Lily sat by a fire in the great hall. It did not take long for word to reach the elves that Lake Town had indeed been attacked by Smaug, as Thranduil had predicted. Although Lily knew no elvish, she could hear the names Smaug and Lake Town. That could only mean that the dwarves had awakened him. Were they still alive? Were they hurt? Lily's mind raced with worry, as no word of the dwarves ever reached her, and Thranduil never made it known if he had indeed heard.
After the elves had spoken for a while longer Thranduil turned back into the chamber and approached Lily, sitting beside her and taking her hand as he gently spoke,
"Smaug has attacked the village of Lake Town. I am obligated to give aid to them. My camp will journey into the lower valley tomorrow. You may come with us if you choose, or you may stay here." Thranduil finished.
"I am coming with you! What about Thorin? Any news...?" Lily asked in a disheartened tone.
The look in Thranduil's eyes told her all she needed to know. He looked down at her hands, as though he hoped to find a better answer. This only ensured Lily that she had to go, she had to find out what had happened to them, if anyone was even alive. She quickly rose up and marched to her bed chambers, but Thranduil's voice stopped her at the door,
"There is no need to pack, it will be done for you, with only the essentials you will need." Lily turned to face the blonde elf, his eyes seemed compassionate, if not worried. "Stay with me a while longer, it will not do to worry yourself when you are so close to the birth." His gentle tones urged.
Lily turned and walked back to the fire. Before she could sit, Thranduil turned her back towards him and gently seated her with firm hands, and began to massage her neck and shoulders. His touch was amazing, and instantly she felt calmer and more relaxed. He massaged her whole back for a long while before lifting her gently and carrying her to her bed.
His tenderness surprised her again and again. As he lay her gently onto her bed his hands ran over her belly gently, checking the progress of the child before stating,
"Someone will be in shortly to prepare you for sleep." He then turned to walk away, at which point Lily grabbed his hand to stop him,
"Do you believe he is alive?" Lily asked in soft tones. Thranduil did not turn to face her as he spoke,
"I do not know, but the dwarves are a strong race, they may surprise us all yet." He said quietly before releasing his hand and leaving.
Lily was asleep before the handmaid even arrived, but it did not matter, for she was so gentle that she did not wake Lily. All the elves knew that she needed rest, for the journey, despite an escort, would still not be easy on a woman so far along.