The festival would have been more entertaining if Ali had been sitting there with anyone other than a group of elves. Sure these elves were a bit more rambunctious than those in Rivendell. They certainly drank more wine.
Perhaps Ali would have enjoyed it more if she hadn't been forced to sit beside the King. As soon as she had been seated Thranduil had waved her off to check in on 'other business'. At that moment Ali soured, she knew 'other business' meant the dwarves. She wanted to see them, or help them, but instead she was forced to sit in on this horrid party.
It was literally just a bunch of perfect looking people sitting around drinking and talking loudly.
"Would you like some wine?" A beautiful woman was already pouring the deep red liquid into her goblet.
"Yea sure, why not," Ali took a swig and glowered from their table at the front of the room. At least it looked like these people were having fun. She wondered how many of them knew that the dwarves were being held prisoner. She wondered how many of them had to deal with knowing that they were space time travelers who needed to use their magical abilities to save a king.
God, she was wallowing, Ali let her head hit the table before she breathed in deep and sat up strait. She had problems and she was projecting them one these people, most of which she hadn't even spoken to. Shame on her.
"What would you be thinking about Ali?" Thranduil hummed, turning his head just slightly enough to look down at her.
"Oh, just basic things. Like, are oranges named oranges because oranges are orange, or is orange called orange because oranges are orange? These are real questions." Ali sipped on her wine, trying to think about some sort of real distraction.
"I see," Thranduil just looked back over the room, not indulging in her stupid question.
How could one such as herself cause a distraction? She wasn't brave enough to jump into the middle of the room and do something. She wasn't smart enough to come up with some dynamic scheme to draw all their attention. This room was just too loud to think!
"Have you thought about what we spoke of earlier?" Thranduil asked non-chalantly.
"I have," Ali lied, swirling her wine around before taking a larger than necessary gulp. "It's just quite a bit to think about."
"That's fine, take all the time you need," Thranduil held his own goblet but didn't indulge. "I'm patient."
Oh, sweet potatoes', talking with this man was like listening to a eulogy for someone she hated. What she needed was for Hagrid to break down the door and save her from this nightmare. How did Bilbo expect her to distract an entire castle full of elves? It's not like she could do something that would draw them from every corner of the kingdom.
Ali pulled another swig, what would Loki do? Probably turn into a giant horse, flip the table, and trample over everyone. Not really in her range of possibilities.
A hand rested on Ali's shoulder, but when she looked there wasn't anything there. Her back stiffened instantly as the hand stayed, it was Bilbo. This was some sort of signal that she needed to distract them right now.
"I have to pee!" Ali jolted to stand, losing the invisible hand.
"As long as it's not on me," Legolas mumbled into his goblet from the other side of Thranduil.
"I'll be back," she blurted before Thranduil could say anything, darting off randomly. She continued running till she turned the first corner, skidding to a halt she waited the world spinning ever so slightly. Wow, that had been some strong wine. Ali blinked and shook her head. Surly Bilbo followed her.
"What was that?" Bilbo sounded out of breath, "You couldn't have left any more suspiciously could you?"
"I could have started talking to the invisible man beside me," Ali huffed. "I don't know how to distract them, I've been thinking about it all night and I don't have anything."
"You're not supposed to, I just needed to keep you busy," Bilbo grabbed her hand and started dragging her along behind him.
"You tricked me!" Ali gasped. She didn't rightly know how she felt.
"Well, would you have let the topic drop if you had known there wasn't anything for you to do?" Bilbo hissed cautiously slowing them down before going around a corner.
"You're not wrong…you're just mean," Ali mumbled, holding her dress off the floor as she let Bilbo drag her along. Not only was she useless, but she was tricked into thinking she could be useful, just to be told that she was in fact still useless. That seemed to be the way the world turned for her. In the end she will probably try and save Thorin only for Gandalf to step in and say, 'actually you were just here cause there was too much testosterone, you're off the hook.'
Damn them all.
When they entered the loading dock several guards sat around a table, pouring wine and chatting loudly.
"Oh no," Bilbo breathed, invisible or not, Ali could feel his forehead wrinkling with concern.
"Go get the dwarves," Ali muttered, sliding her hand out of his grip. Straitening her shoulders she ran her fingers through her hair and ignored the sounds of his protesting. "Well good evening men," Ali smiled as she hopped up on the platform.
The stood abruptly, one staggering against the wall. They were already drunk, this should be easy. "I wound up a bit lost on the way to the bathroom, can you believe that? Mind if I join you gentlemen for a drink before one of you show me back?"
Ali was already taking a seat while they cast each other suspicious glances.
"Have you boys ever played flip cup?" Ali asked trying to sound innocent.
The plan was simple, grab the keys, get the dwarves, and then float away to safety. Nothing around here was ever easy though. Bilbo skidded through the damp dungeon corridors, heavy keys clutched to his chest. So far at least the dungeons themselves seemed to be clear. Little miracles, he thought almost sarcastically.
"Thorin," Bilbo skidded to a halt in front of his cell, already trying to unlock it with shaking hands.
"Bilbo!" Thorin darted to the bars, straining to see past him and down the path. "Where's Ali?"
"She's at the loading dock," Bilbo hissed, finally prying open the gate, wincing when the voices around him began to yell. "Shhhhhhh!" He urged, "we have to hurry."
Bilbo darted around between the cells, releasing each of them and hushing them continuously. Damn dwarves were impossible to sneak around with, no wonder they needed him.
"Where are we goin'?" Dwalin insisted.
"Down," Bilbo snapped, already started but stopped when they didn't follow.
"What da ya mean?" Bofur looked at him wide eyed.
"Ali's waiting!" Bilbo insisted, thankful when Thorin moved down the path automatically. Bilbo darted in front of the group, leading the way as silently as possible, hoping that Ali had gotten the guards out of the room.
When they burst in the room Thorin stopped at the sight in front of him, confusion and relief washing over him. Ali stood across the room on a platform, stomping around on the top of a table. Several elvish guards laying face down passed out.
It felt as though the sight of her looking up at him washed all his worries away. Ali's beautiful dark hair was loose around her bare shoulders, and her starlight skirts swirled around her legs as she kicked the cups off the table.
"Thorin!" Ali squealed, launching off the table. Thorin caught her barely as she jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. He breathed in her scent, feeling more relaxed as his arms held her close.
"I los' yer shirt, well I didn' loose it, they took it," Ali pushed against him, swinging her legs trying to get down, slurring her words.
"Have you been drinking?" Thorin put her down, but not taking his hands from her waist.
"Jus' a lill," Ali looked down and around him.
"Thorin, we should really be going, everyone, get in the barrels!" Bilbo motioned for them to begin moving. Ali was the only one who darted over to the barrels.
"Are ya mad?! They'll find us!" Dwalin growled.
"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you MUST trust me!" Bilbo insisted, looking at Thorin.
Thorin looked back to Ali who was already trying to shimmy in a barrel with her dress. She trusted him instantly, and while he didn't know everything about Ali yet, he knew she wouldn't just trust anyone.
"Do as he says!" Thorin snapped, sliding into the same barrel as Ali, he pulled her against his chest and turned them so she was lying on his chest. "I have apologize for my behavior earlier."
"Mmm," Ali hummed, closing her eyes and relaxing against his chest.
Thorin shook his head but smiled, they would talk about this when she was sober.
"What da we do now?" Bofur yelled.
"Hold your breath." Bilbo said.
Thorin looked out of his barrel, curious as to what was going on exactly.
"Hold ma breath? What da ya mean?" Bofur asked.
Thorin watched as Bilbo pulled one of the levers and the floor shifted. Thorin tightened his arm around Ali's shoulders and braced the other against the opposite side of the barrel.
When the barrels hit the water it was icy. Ali jerked awake against his chest, gasping and pushing away. Thorin kept his arm around her and pushed his wet hair out of his face, barely grabbing the rock wall before they began to float away. He didn't spot Bilbo.
"Oh lord, that's a whole new meaning to throwing cold water on a situation." Ali spluttered and pushed her hair back, "you didn't have to be so literal."
"I'm sorry," Thorin rubbed her back gently, the trap door opening once more, Bilbo hit the water. "Well done, Master Baggins." Thorin barked as Bilbo coughed up water and waved at him.
"Go," Bilbo coughed, still trying to catch his breath.
Thorin let go, allowing them to begin floating down, right to a waterfall. They just couldn't catch a break. Again they coughed and spluttered, he didn't even like water, no dwarf liked water.
"Holo in-annon!" A blonde elf yelled from the shore. Thorin spun around to see a gate falling down before the next waterfall. What did he have to do to get an easy ride?
"Legolas!" Ali yelled, waving her arms at the blonde elf.
"No," Thorin growled as his barrel hit the closed gate. "Who is that?"
"Please open the gate!" Ali yelled but they were under the gate and out of sight.
"Watch out! Those are orcs!" Bofur yelled right before the first orc launched into their floating island.
Ali gasped as Bilbo buried his sword in an orcs face. Dwalin struck another in the face with his elbow, crunching its nose, it groaned and sunk into the water. Thorin almost didn't see Kili jump from his barrel and begin weaving through the mass towards the lever. The orcs were launching towards him, making him their target.
"Kili!" Dwalin shouted throwing him a fallen orc sword. Thorin felt useless at the front of the group, doing barely more than deflecting a fallen orc.
"Kili!" Fili shouted, Thorin watched as Kili fell to his knees.
"Kili get up please!" Ali jumped in their barrel, trying to get out. Thorin pulled her back. There wasn't anything she would be able to do. The largest orc strung another arrow and Thorin leaned against the barrel, tipping them sideways. Kili had to move or the next one would be lethal.
"Kili," Thorin joined the chorus, he swore that boy was going to be the death of him.
"Tauriel! Thank you!" Ali continued to jump in the barrel, yelling at a she-elf that started firing arrows at the orcs. It was the one that Kili had spoken with about the fire moon.
Beside him the gate lifted, dropping them over the waterfall before Thorin could yell again.
Another wave of icy water poured over the rim of the barrel, soaking Ali, who was completely sober now. This flimsy elf dress did nothing to keep out the cold. Ali coughed and shivered. Thorin managed to wield weapons thrown to him and keep her from peeking her head over the top of the barrel. Wave after basically drown her as Thorin did his best not to crush her.
Ali gasped for breath between waves. She needed a moment to breath. Everything just needed to stop or she might suffocate.
The barrel jerked violently, knocking Thorin against her. Ali drug in a deep breath as their journey slowed, coughing up the water she had swallowed. A wave hung over the top of their barrel threatening to choke her again if she didn't hurry and catch her breath. This time she would hold her breath between waves.
Ali lurched to her feet when she looked back up to the threatening wave above her head. It was frozen in place. Ali spun in the small space. The river hadn't slowed, it had stopped entirely. Thorin was watching his sword hanging in midair, pointing towards Legolas and an orc. The dwarves were all frozen in their barrels.
Pulsing pressure began building in Ali's head but she continued to look around. Only she was moving. Was this what Thranduil was talking about? How in the world had she done this?! The pressure was growing steadily, becoming painful, as if her eyes were about to pop out of her skull.
Oh dear angel wings, how was she supposed to put time back in, before her eyes exploded. Time needs to start, start now!
The barrel jerked, throwing Ali against Thorin.
"What? Get down!" Thorin shoved her back down to cover, letting the surprise wash away with the currents.
Breathing a sigh of relief as the pressure disappeared Ali allowed herself to crouch as far out of Thorin's way as possible.
This was her ticket, it was her only advantage so far that she could use against the pale orc. But first she needed to figure out how it worked, and time was running out.
So a mixture of writers block and real life kept me from updating for quite a while now.
Fortunately things began to flow again, if not somewhat rocky :P
Thanks to some kind encouragement from a reader(you know who you are ;) )
But as always please review, I love hearing from you
Muah