Ali sat on the edge of her bed, her mind buzzing with activity. Even if she lay down she knew that there was no way she would be able to sleep tonight. It was obvious that Thranduil was an odd man, maybe even a strange guy, possibly even a really big weirdo. What Ali couldn't tell is how honest he was. Surely he was old, so therefore he must be wise, maybe even as wise as Gandalf. Perhaps that wasn't the best example as Gandalf was the guy who let a whole group of dwarves wander into a magical forest and thought there was a chance that they might not do something stupid.
Then again, he did say that he knew what Galadriel was, so therefore he had probably talked to Galadriel about the whole thing. Ali guessed if Galadriel trusted someone then there was a chance she could as well.
"Ali," something whispered. Ali looked up and around the room. It had sounded vaguely like Bilbo, but the room was empty, "Ali, over here."
This time Ali stood up, she was sure that she heard something this time. Cautiously Ali really scanned the room, even peaked under the bed. There was definitely nothing here.
A hand tightened around Ali's upper arm, but there wasn't anybody there. Shrieking, Ali launched back, the pressure released from her arm. She scrambled over her bed, tumbling off the other side, still kneeling Ali stared across the room with wide eyes.
"L-look, whatever you are, be gone! Or…or I'll exorcize you." Ali held her breath and waited for a reply, hoping that whatever it was didn't know that her threats were empty.
"Oh and how do you plan to do that?" The voice asked surprisingly condescendingly, and if Ali didn't know better than she would definitely think it was Bilbo.
"I…know Sudoku…" Ali retorted, hoping that ghosts here didn't know about number puzzles.
"That sounds made up."
"You sound made up," Ali snapped at the ghost. No there was no way that she was having an argument with a ghost about this. That was it, she had officially lost her marbles, she was arguing with herself. All those times voicing her opinions out loud when she meant to keep them tucked inside, they had evolved into this.
In the blink of an eye Bilbo was standing on the other side of the bed. If Ali hadn't been kneeling down she might have fell over. She was having an existential crisis, and it was this guys fault.
"You can turn invisible?" Ali asked, getting right to the point.
"Occasionally, but that's not the point. I heard what Thranduil was saying at dinner, it was a lie, the company is all here, right now in the dungeon." Bilbo put his hands in his pockets, steadying himself with a deep breath.
Ali stayed quiet for a second, she wasn't really surprised that she had been lied to, and she was relieved that the company was safe. But her heart was still pounding from Bilbo's little hobbit trick. "We need to figure out how to free them," she finally mumbled.
"Well yes..yes of course…" Bilbo shuffled awkwardly looking at his feet.
"What is it?" Ali finally stood. There was something he wasn't telling her.
"Well I was just thinking, Thranduil seems to know about the veil. What if you were to talk to him about it, see what he says, perhaps he knows something that will help. Maybe he knows some way to use this veil that will save both your lives." Bilbo was looking hopeful.
Ali knew better than to think that Bilbo would let go of this idea easily, and he did make a good point. There was a distinctly good chance that she still wouldn't be able to save herself, but it was worth a shot. Not to mention, there was a pretty good chance that Azog wasn't going to challenge her to battle of wits, so she needed to find some way to defeat him. Maybe this was her opportunity.
"Okay, so tomorrow I talk to Thranduil, but in the mean time lets come up with some kind of plan to get the dwarves out."
The following morning Legolas paced the corridors before the sun had a chance to peak over the trees. How does one destroy a relationship without being obvious about it? This wasn't one of his fields of expertise, what he needed was guidance.
Taking off at a quick walk Legolas made for the training grounds. Even though the morning was still new, he knew that Tauriel would be awake. More often than not he could find her down there, no matter the time of day. Turning a corner Legolas barely spun around another incoming body, moving faster than he.
"Legolas! What are you doing up at this hour?" Tauriel side stepped in time as well, spinning to face him.
"Actually looking for you, I have a bit of a situation with Ali I was hoping to discuss with you." Legolas watched as Tauriel shifted her weight from one foot to the other and averted her gaze. He stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder, this wasn't normal for her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I'm just busy," Tauriel finally met his eye's with determination, too much determination.
"You know, I know you better than anyone, now tell me what's wrong, perhaps we can help each other." Legolas smiled at her, he hated when she was upset.
"I lost the blue tunic that Ali was wearing yesterday," Tauriel turned away from him rubbing her temples. "I sent it off to be cleaned with the express direction that it was to be returned directly to her room when finished. Now I can't find it anywhere."
"I saw it last night. Our Lord had it to show Thorin, trying to convince him that she was still lost." Legolas watched as Tauriel turned slowly and dropped her hands from her head.
"Do you know where it is now?" Tauriel asked, looking almost desperate.
Was it just him or was everyone acting weird since Ali arrived?
"Why do you need the tunic so badly?"
"I promised Ali that I would return it to her," Tauriel stepped closer to Legolas, regaining control of her normally placid features.
"Then tell her that it was accidentally destroyed in the washing process, mistakes happen." Legolas wanted to comfort Tauriel but wasn't sure how, she was never the kind that wanted comforting.
"I can't, I made a pinky promise, and some of the consequences sound rather severe." Tauriel began rubbing her temples again. Perhaps she hadn't slept last night. "But I apologize, what did you need help with?"
Legolas hesitated, from an outside perspective he was sure both of their problems seemed ridiculous. "Well, our Lord wants me to drive a wedge between Thorin Oakenshield and Ali, to end their relationship."
"End their relationship? That seems vaguely…" Tauriel let her words drop off but Legolas was able to fill them in.
'Petty', this whole thing seemed rather petty for a king.
They both stood there silently for a moment. So far this girl had been nothing but trouble, and brought nothing but problems. His problem didn't seem as important as he watched Tauriel fret over the thought of the lost tunic.
"Let's go find the tunic. Last I saw it was in the throne room, I don't remember it being removed." Legolas began to stride back the way he came. He knew that his father didn't approve of himself and Tauriel, though they hadn't yet discussed it. Approval or not, he knew what his feelings were, and he would do whatever it took to keep her happy.
There were two guards posted outside Ali's door. Whether they were there to keep her safe or to keep an eye on her she wasn't sure. As she peeked out the door they didn't turn to look at her. Testing the waters she stepped one foot out, they didn't move. Another foot out, they didn't move.
Keeping up this pace Ali left the door open, giving Bilbo the chance to escape as well. They had decided to split up, Ali was to talk to Thranduil and Bilbo would do his best to explore and figure out the layout of the palace.
As she turned around a corner, Ali was actually surprised that the two guards hadn't said or done anything to stop her. Surely they were up to something, but what?
It was only a short trek back to the room where they had eaten the night before. More silent guards ignored her presence as she opened the door a crack. Of course the king wasn't going to be here, Ali kicked herself, it wasn't as if he was just sitting around waiting to share a meal with people.
"Excuse me?" Ali finally turned to one of the stationed guards. Not even his eyes flickered, but she tried anyways. "King Thranduil said that we could talk this morning, do you know where I could find him?" The next second was dead silent. The thought crossed her mind that these might not actually be real elves, what if they were just wax models? Her fingers itched to reach out and touch his cheek, but he turned sharply before she had a chance.
Jogging was the only way that Ali was able to keep up with this man's surprisingly smooth glide through the palace. Surprising? She thought that perhaps the word 'surprising' should be removed from her dictionary. If he were human then this would be surprising, but he wasn't. Every once in a while she had to stop and remind herself that they weren't. In fact Ali didn't even think that she had seen one other human in the entire time she was here.
Ali was forced to push that realization aside as the guard knocked on an ornate wooden door.
"Enter," she heard Thranduil's distinct laid back voice call.
As she entered the door nearly closed right on her butt, shoving her a step or two farther into the room. It was amazing, beautiful, like she had stepped into the library from Beauty and the Beast, mixed with the magic of Harry Potter's great hall. The walls were lined with rows of books, flowing wooden ladders and spiral stair cases lead up to a second floor. There were desks lit with candles, yellowing rolls of paper kept in holders, and ink wells with quills all around.
"You look beautiful this morning," Thranduil finally spoke from the other side of a silver and gold pedestal near the rear of the room. This morning Ali woke in her wrinkled purple dress, she and Bilbo had spoken so long last night that she had fallen asleep where they were sitting. When she woke she knew that she wouldn't be able to wear it around, luckily an enormous closest held many clothes all in her size. She had chosen to wear a silver one with royal blue trimming. It was fashioned much like the ones that the elvish women of Rivendell wore, a low square neck, long open sleeves and a floor length skirt. Ali had even taken a moment to pull her hair up into a bun, securing it with a blue ribbon from one of her drawers.
"So do you!" Ali blurted out, and then wished she could take it back. Would he get offended that she called him beautiful? Thranduil continued to read over whatever text was in front of him, his poker face going strong. "I want to know about the veil. What can you tell me?"
Slowly Thranduil smiled, that was apparently what he was hoping to hear.
"I can only tell you what I know, which is not all there is," Thranduil closed his book, gliding around his pedestal towards a set of chairs.
"That's a better start than I have, basically all I know is when I die here I can get sent back to my old body." Ali muttered, suddenly wishing she had just asked Galadriel more when she had seen her, though she didn't know if she would have actually answered. It was like wise old people code, 'one must help but only help to confuse', or something like that.
"What is your old body like?" Thranduil asked, resting his hands on his lap.
"Exactly like this one, only back home. What do you know about the veil?" Ali hopped inelegantly up into her chair, feeling like a child for the first time in a while. She had forgotten that the dwarves were all pretty much her size.
"The veil is the area of separation between worlds and dimensions. It is inhabited solely by those chosen by the veil with the strongest spirits. Their exact purpose is still a mystery to me." Thranduil paused, perhaps hoping Ali would answer.
"Is that all you know? I sort of guessed that part myself." Ali hoped she was wrong.
Thranduil seemed to sigh, but continued. "While I don't know why there are veil dwellers, I do know some of the abilities they are allowed." Thranduil intertwined his fingers, relaxing back into his chair. "Time is one of the greatest illusions. The life of one man is half what the life is for a dwarf, and not even a fraction of an elf. Each race watches their time flowing past at what seems to be different rates, but it isn't. In this world time flows the same no matter whom or what you are. Nothing can change the way time flows or the amount of time an individual is given.
"We are left to wonder though, where time comes from. If all that we see and feel come from a place then so must time. This place is the Veil. It continuously flows between worlds and dimensions, like a river, marking the passage of time relentlessly for each world it flows around.
"Those outside of the worlds are different. Those few that the Veil pulls from their home world to inhabit the space between no longer bow to the rules of time and space. Galadriel for instance, can see glimpses into the past, present, and future. Her mind alone exists outside of the boundaries of this world, while her body does not.
"In my research I have found that the answer lies with one's home. Galadriel still resides in the world of her birth, so her body has yet to travel beyond the Veil, which limits her influence on time. You, Ali, are not of this world. You traveled not just to the Veil but beyond, landing here in Middle-Earth."
Ali sat still, watching Thranduil as he paused finally to allow it all to sink in. It all made a bit of sense, at least as much sense as a time river between worlds. She felt as if it wasn't real though.
"If I'm correct, then you can move through this world without the contingency of time." Thranduil finally finished, finally looking away from her.
There wasn't even a good place to start with the questions she had. Her mind was hazy with everything, and nothing. This was way more than she had thought he was going to say.
"So," Ali finally shook out of her stupor and rubbed her eyes, "it's sort of like having a remote control for life?"
Thranduil cocked his head ever so slightly to signal that he didn't understand.
"A remote control is used to play, pause, reverse, and fast-forward plays," Ali tried not to say movie.
"I suppose so, though it takes time and effort to learn how."
"Why didn't Galadriel explain all this to me?"
"Perhaps she didn't wish to overwhelm you."
"But why me?"
"That I don't have the answer to."
Suddenly Ali's lip trembled, quickly she rubbed her face. Why did she want to cry? This wasn't sad. This wasn't the end of the world, but it was a lot, all at once. Normally Ali was able to take anything thrown at her. Suddenly she wished it was something mean that he had said. That was what Ali was good at dealing with, she knew what to do.
"I need a moment to think," Ali jumped off her chair and ran for the door without letting him answer. She wanted someone to hold her, she wanted to feel someone comforting her, she wanted Thorin.
Ali ran all the way back to her room, slamming the door closed behind her. She knew that there was no way they would allow her to go to the dungeons to see Thorin, not while she was supposed to think he was in the forest. The next best thing was the tunic, Ali paced around her room, they hadn't returned it yet and that made her nervous.
"It's okay. You've got this. It's just responsibility, nothing you can't handle." Ali tried to reassure herself. The other voice in her head disagreed. This was responsibility, something that she had never really had to deal with. Nobody asked the weird girl in class to do anything, nobody had ever depended on her, hell she depended on herself and she lived homeless! What if this responsibility came with a price that she didn't know?
Ali couldn't see Thorin, she couldn't have his tunic, the next best thing was a distraction. Perhaps if she found Legolas or Tauriel they would be able to take her mind off things.
There was something about being invisible that gave Bilbo a little edge. He almost felt as if he should just let Thorin believe that Ali was still out in the woods. Let him stew over that for a bit, just so he had a bit of payback for all the trouble he had caused him. That edge wasn't quite enough to actually do it though, he thought, sneaking down into the dungeons.
A plan was beginning to form in his mind. Earlier he heard several guards talking about some sort of festival that would be taking place in the next couple days. That was the beginning at least.
Bilbo removed the ring as soon as he was sure the guards would no longer be able to spot him. It wasn't hard to convince Ali that hobbits could turn invisible, but the dwarves would have more than a few questions about that.
"Thorin," Bilbo hissed through the bars. Immediately Thorin's head snapped up and he shot towards the bars.
"What do you know of Ali? Is she safe? Did they find her?" Thorin's fists tightened around the bars on the cell. The desperation in his eyes made it impossible for Bilbo to play games with him.
"Ali is fine. She was picked up shortly after you guys." Bilbo rolled his eyes as Thorin released a breath and stepped back into the cell. "I'm fine too thanks for asking. I've spoken to Ali, Thranduil is trying to convince her that the company isn't here, though I'm not sure why. We are formulating a plan to get you lot free."
"What are ya thinkin so far laddie?" Balin called from somewhere below them.
"Shhhh!" Bilbo hissed, "give me some time, I'll be back."
Bilbo began to creep off again but Thorin caught his arm.
"Thank you," Thorin whispered, "thank you for telling me."
And another chapter is here!
I hope that everyone is enjoying the story, if you have any comments or I've made any mistakes please let me know :)
Have a great week! Muah!