Daughter of Starlight

Chapter Thirty Six: The Eve of Battle

Finally! A new chapter! Sorry for the wait guys but I really wanted to get this chapter right because the next one finally starts the battle of the five armies and I'm so excited! Anyway, enjoy this chapter. I hope you like it :)

It was a long while after our conversation in the armory when Bilbo and I finally were able to sneak away from the company. Night had been upon us for a few hours, and with it came below freezing temperatures that sent Bilbo's teeth chattering and my skin pricking with goosebumps.

Bilbo had snagged a coil of rope from some place or another, and we used it as a means to scale down the outer ramparts. I tied a tight knot around a chunk of rock on the top of what was left of the statue of Thrór, the one that had been destroyed and in turn completely demolishing the walkway below.

I allowed the length of rope to dangle down the rampart, gazing down where the ground lay hundreds of feet below me. Before I began the climb down, I made sure the leather strap of the satchel hanging on my shoulder, subtly hidden beneath my sweater so that Bilbo wouldn't see it, wouldn't move as I climbed. Unbeknownst to Bilbo, I had brought the gems with me. I told myself that I was bringing them in case the Arkenstone was not enough to deter Thranduil, but truly I saw this as my chance to finally give them to him.

I held on tight to the rope and began to climb down, making it about ten feet before looking up at Bilbo, who was preparing to follow me.

"Be careful," I told him as he began the climb down. If it seemed high to me, I could only imagine what this height seemed like to the small hobbit.

Bilbo nodded, taking a deep breath to calm himself as he ever so slowly began his descent. When we finally made it to the bottom, we took care not to fall into the frigid water that surrounded the oversized stepping stones we were navigating.

The trek to Dale didn't take too long, but it did tire us out a bit, and by the time we got close to the city, our feet were aching and our faces were numb with cold. Then it was a matter of trying to find Bard without alerting everyone to our presence. We soon found that Bilbo could manage to sneak around without anyone noticing him, and I trailed behind him, managing keep to the shadows and stay out of sight.

As I looked around at the stony faces of the soldiers, the gravity of the situation hit me full on. They were ready to fight for the very gems I had with me, to take the lives of innocent dwarves in the name of a king who valued diamonds more than them. Why in the world would they fight for such a king? Why would they put their faith in someone whose interest was not to have his soldiers return safely home, but to retrieve a chest of diamonds?

Something in that thought really bothered me and made me want reconsider what I planned to do with the gems, but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I had more important things to worry about.

It was awhile before Bilbo and I admitted that we were lost, with no sign of Bard anywhere. It was by a stroke of luck that my ears picked up a familiar voice.

"You, bowman," I heard the unmistakable voice of Gandalf, not too far away from us and presumably talking to Bard.

"This way, Bilbo," I said, guiding him in the direction of the two men.

"Do you agree with this?" I heard Gandalf ask Bard. "Is gold so important to you? Would you buy it with the blood of dwarves?"

"It will not come to that," Bard said, and that was when they finally came into my sight. I saw the two of them standing next to each other, exchanging grim looks. "This is a fight they cannot win."

"That won't stop them," Bilbo said as he ran ahead a bit. The two men's gazes fell on the hobbit first, Gandalf's lighting up at the sight of him.