The Dragon's Curse

The Great Escape

Bilbo weaved his way through the dungeons until he found Artemis curled in a ball with chains around the neck, wrists and ankles. Drawing the keys from his pocket they rung out as her heard snapped up glaring in his direction and smelling the air as he quickly appeared and started to undo the chains.

"Bilbo?" She questioned as he noticed her head tilt to the side as though she was trying to remember who he was. The ring! Get the ring! A dark voice kept hissing in her ear as she growled and struggles to not snatch it from his pocket. The ring! Get the ring! GET IT! It screamed as she winced making Bilbo frown and watched her as she gave a weak smile.

"Where are the otherssss?" Her voice let out a soft hiss at the end as Bilbo didn't pick it up.

"I'm about to go get the others" He spoke pulling out the ring about to put it on when he noticed her staring at it sharply. He gulped slightly as she almost looked in a trance as her hand slowly went to grab it. The ring! Get the ring! The voice screamed before she patted Bilbo's shoulder.

"Keep it safe and away from the eyes of others." She whispered as he frowned but nodded.

"Head down towards the cellars" Bilbo instructed, she did as he asked, whilst he went to go free the other dwarves from their prison cells.

"Bilbo" They all cried out at the sight of him as they started cheering before Bilbo quickly hushed them.

"Shhhhh!...Guard nearby" He instructed as he opened Thorin's cell first before going from cell to cell letting them all out.

"Not that way, down here follow me" He called as they all turned and began following on after Bilbo as he led them down towards the cellars, they crept past drunken guards. They noticed that Artemis was already there pacing slightly hissing to herself as her head snapped up towards them.

"I don't believe it, we're in the cellars!" Kili growled.

"I know what I'm doing." Bilbo spoke encouragingly as after they got quiet once more they weren't very pleased as the kept looking at all the barrels.

"Everyone into the barrels!"

"Are you mad? They'll find us" Dwalin growled as Bilbo shook his head.

"No they won't. I promise you they won't. Please, please you must trust me!" Bilbo begged as everyone was unsure and murmured with each other as he looked at Thorin.

"Do as he says" Thorin hissed as once Thorin had spoken that they all started to get into the barrels. Dwalin and Bofur helped Bombur into his barrel getting slightly stuck as Artemis stood away from the others still in fight with the sickness inside her.

"What do we do know?" Bofur asked Bilbo as the entire company poked their heads out of the barrels to see that Bilbo now stood beside a lever.

"Hold your breath" Bilbo spoke as they all frowned.

"What do you mean hold our breath ahhhh!" The company all cried out as Bilbo pulled the lever back causing the barrels to fall down into the water below. Artemis being the one who was standing near the end fell in first with a cry of panic. Artemis felt the air knocked out of her lungs as her eyes went wide in panic, as her clothes grew heavier, before she burst through the surface gasping for air. Once they were all cleared Bilbo was confused as he remained behind.

"Artemis!" Thorin hissed as he saw her frightened eyes. The current brought her towards him as he helped her as she clung to his barrel with dear life. The shadow had been driven from her with her natural fear. He could see she was free from anything holding over her. She was confused and scared as her nails dented into the wood, by how hard she held onto with her life.