Chapter seven:

84 2 0
                                    

After a few days of searching, i finally run into Bilbo as he shares his plan with me to get the dwarves out of here. He uses the ring to turn invisible while I use a spell to do the same. I follow him down stairs as we make our way to the cellar. I almost bump right into Bilbo when he comes to a sudden stop. I'm about to question him when i see the reason. Thranduil stands with his back to us at the bottom of this set of stairs. I place my hand on Bilbo's shoulder, letting him know to keep moving but not to make a sound.
"I know you're there. Why do you linger in the shadows?" Thranduil says, turning to look in our direction.
"I was coming to report to you." Says Tauriel going past us down the stairs to stand before my father. Me and Bilbo sigh in relief.
"I thought i ordered that nest to be destroyed not two moons past." He says to Tauriel. Bilbo starts to sneak off while i stand still, watching the conversation before me.
"We cleared the forest as ordered, my lord. But more spiders keep coming up from the south. They are spawning in the ruins of Dol Guldur. If we could kill them at their source..."
"That fortress lies beyond our borders. Keep our lands clear of those foul creatures. That is your task." Thranduil says cutting her off.
"And when we drive them off, what then? Will they not spread to other lands?" She asks pacing back and forth.
"Other lands are not my concern."
Bilbo grabs my hand to tug me along when he notices I'm not moving. We continue to the cellar, leaving the conversation behind.
"The fortunes of the world will rise and fall. But here in this kingdom, we will endure." I hear him say as their voices fade the farther we get from them.

We make it to the cellar as some elves are stacking empty wooden barrels.
"Say what you will about our ill-tempered king, he has great taste in wine."
"Ad Somnum." I whisper with a simple hand movement. All the elves holding wine glasses fall into a temporary sleep.
I notice Bilbo watching one elf hang the keys to the cells while another pulls a lever causing the floor to tilt under the barrels, rolling them through the floor and into the water below. Bingo.
Bilbo snatches the keys as we quickly move back to where the dwarves are kept.
"We're never going to reach the mountain are we?" Says Ori.
"Not stuck in here your not." Bilbo says, appearing in front of Thorins cell, holding up the keys.
The dwarves head for the upstairs when i stop them.
"Not that way, down here, follow me." I tell them. A few of them send me untrusting looks while others follow right away.
"Everyone climb into the barrels quickly." Whispers Bilbo.
"Are you mad? They'll find us." Dwalin says approaching Bilbo.
"No, they won't. You must trust us." I try to reassure him.
Bilbo looks to Thorin who's standing beside us. He looks to me then Bilbo before turning to the company.
"Do as they say."
Me and the hobbit watch as the dwarves scramble into the barrels before they poke their heads out in sync.
"What do we do now?" Bofur asks.
"Hold your breath." I tell them.
"Hold my breath? What do you mean-aaahh!" The dwarves shout as they tumble through the floor after Bilbo pulls the lever.
The floor closes, leaving me and Bilbo standing in the now empty space.
"Where is the keeper of the keys?" We hear Tauriel shout as she comes down the stairs, heading our way. Bilbo backs up causing him to fall through the floor due to the weight change. I turn myself invisible once again and head for a door. Once i get outside, i run along side the dwarves, trying to keep up on foot. Just as the barrels get to the gate, it's shut, stopping them under the bridge. I'm about to head for the lever when an arrow pierces one of the guards revealing an orc behind them.
Multiple orcs make their way over the wall, trying to get to their target, the company.
The dwarves fight the orcs off from their barrels as best they can without weapons. Kili hops out of his barrel, taking the chance to reach the lever to open the gate. A horn blows and Legolas and Tauriel join the fight with some scouts. Kili's thigh is shot with an orc's poisoned arrow. His cry distracts me from the three orcs around me giving one of them a chance to cut my left forearm with their sword. I refocus and take care of them before chasing after the dwarves who are now moving quickly down the fast flowing river.

From Westeros to Middle EarthWhere stories live. Discover now