«Tell Legolas, I wish to speak to him", Andy commanded the guard, who brought her her meal. It was the third day, she did that and up until now, Legolas still hadn't shown up. The guard didn't answer and left again. With a scoff, Andy slid down to the ground. She took a bite from the bread and smiled. She loved bread from the elven bakeries. They were the best. It tasted like Lembas, but didn't have the effect of filling after a bite.
A few times she had heard Fili and Kili and some of the others call for her. She didn't answer them. It was better for all of them. If Thorin hadn't told them already, she was definitely not going to spill her secrets over echoes. That day again, Legolas didn't show up. The next day, the red-head surprised Andy.
"What are you doing here?", Andy asked her confused.
"Bringing you food.", came the answer. The Elleth reached between the bars and held out the bread. With a shrug, Andy took it and waited for her to disappear. She didn't.
"What?", Andy asked annoyed.
"Is it true, that you are the Protector?", the Elleth asked. Instead of answering, Andy shifted into her elf form. Her eyes widened in awe.
"Milady", she hushed and bowed. "It is an honor, to meet you. "
Andy shook it off. "No need for that, ...?"
"Tauriel", the Elleth introduced herself. "Captain of the kings guard. "
Andy nodded, a plan forming in her head. "Hey, do you think, you could do something for me?"
For a moment, Tauriel hesitated, then she stepped closer.
"I need to get out of here. "
Tauriel pulled away immediately, a rejection ready. Andy grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Listen. I'm not asking you to free me, alright? I need Legolas to come down. I need to talk to him. Can you please arrange that?" Tauriel's eyes flickered back and forth. Then she pulled her arm out if Andy's grasp and left, without an answer. Frustrated, Andy banged her fist against the wall. To her surprise, not long after Legolas appeared in front of her cell.
"There you are", Andy greeted, not showing that it rather surprised her that he came. "I would ask you in but... you know. "
"What do you want?", he snapped and shifted his weight onto one leg. Andy lifted her eyebrows.
"Talk, obviously. " Casually she strolled closer to the bars. "See, I kind of have a deadline I need to keep. And I can't do that from in here. "
"How does that concern me?", he asked coldly.
"Well, if you want to bring your father your mothers' gems, you'll have to let me out." Legolas' head shot around.
"Why would a traitor like you do something like that?", he hissed, not believing her. Faster than he could react, Andy grabbed him by his collar and pulled him in, his body smacking against the bars. Surprised he looked at her again, and froze. Before him stood the Protector. Her eyes were glowing, her teeth bared, showing off her fangs. Though she was still shorter than him, she lifted him off is feet.
"Listen here, princeling. Despite what your father said, I never planned on letting your grandfather get killed. I would never!" She shook him. "I left, so your parents could be happy. I know, how much those gems mean. I know the felony the dwarves did, keeping them for themselves. In returning them, I hope for the realms to have peace once more, stopping the bickering and fighting so I can concentrate on other things, than sorting out stuff like that. Got it?"
Legolas' face was unfazed. He looked down on her, not answering. Andy realized what she was doing and gently put him down on his feet again, before letting go of him.
"Sorry", she apologized and shifted back into an Elf. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't... I'm sorry", she mumbled on and turned away. "Just go. Go", she waved him away. The next time she looked, he was gone. Andy nodded in approvement. "Blondie learned to tip-toe. "
With a satisfied grin, Andy pulled the keys out of her sleeve. "Mission report, step one accomplished. "
Going through the keys she found the one that opened her cell. Turning back into a Hobbit, Andy snuck up the dungeon, looking for the dwarves. Andy hid in the shadows, as she suddenly heard voices. Listening closer, she tried to find out who was speaking. It sounded like Tauriel but she wasn't talking to a guard, otherwise she would be using Sindarin. And she didn't sound like she was giving orders. Then Andy picked up Kilis voice answering her. Not believing her ears, Andy peaked around the corner, spotting Tauriel sitting on the stairs next to Kilis cell, listening to his stories. Her chin dropped. She would never have guessed this outcome! Steps above her head made her freeze again. They were quiet and subtle. Andy closed her eyes and listened closer. Light armor, at least one blade in a case, gentle brushing of hair over shoulders. Teeth gritting, quiet snort and steps leaving again. Well, that lead to no conclusion at all, Andy noticed. But as the steps were gone, she relaxed a little. Now, she had to wait for the right moment. The singing and feasting from above tempted her, to sneak up and watch from afar. She used to love Mereth Nuin Giliath. On the feast of Starlight, she danced her heart away, singing the songs from the top of her lungs. It was one of the few nights, she let herself be distracted from everything. And that distraction was exactly, what she needed at the moment. Tauriel left the dungeons, to attend at the feast. Andy waited a few minutes longer, to make sure no one was around. Then she slipped out of the shadow. Spying into the first, Andy spotted Bofur.
"Bofur", she whispered, making his head snap up. As he saw her crouching before his cell, his face lit up and he jumped from the ground.
"Andy!", he called exited, alarming the rest of the company. Instantly they all rushed to the bars, trying to catch a glimpse of her. They started shouting about, calling her name and giving the message on, to those higher up.
"Guys, be quiet", Andy shushed them. "I can't get you out, if we get discovered. I'll be around in a moment. "
She opened Bofur's cell and immediately landed in a bone crushing hug. After he let her go, she gave him half of the keys and spit up. At last, they got to the top cell, holding Thorin. The eager energy of the dwarves caught on to Andy, so she first didn't realize, that Thorin didn't get up as she opened the door.
"Thorin, come on", she said, a smile on her face. "We need to go, now. "
He turned around, a grim expression on his face. Immediately, all of the joy collapsed, making her smile fall.
"What is wrong?", Fili asked and stepped onto the cell to Thorin. "Are you hurt?" Thorin kept his eyes fixed on Andy.
"Do you want to explain, or should I'", he asked in a threatening voice. The company looked between them, confused and worried. A knot formed in Andy's throat, anxiety tingling under her skin. It was now or never. Slowly she turned around, facing the dwarves.
"I-", she started. "I... wasn't completely honest to you guys. " Thorin scoffed harshly, making Andy flinch a little. "I'm not a Hobbit. "
"Of course, you are, Lassie", Gloin's voice boomed. "Did they hit you too hard on the head? You have the feet and the hair and all. You couldn't be more Hobbit. "
Andy looked to the floor, slightly trembling. She opened her mouth, but no word came out. Gentilly, a hand wrapped around hers. As she looked up, Kili stood next to her, giving her a tight-lipped smile.
"I think... it's easier if I show you", she spoke and looked up again. The dwarves huddled together, some more curious than worried. They could feel the tension in the room and knew, something had happened between Thorin and her. Thorin stood in the doorframe, his arms crossed. Anger and hatred radiated off him in waves, his eyes were fixated on Andy, piercing through her like a knife. Taking a last deep breath, Andy shifted. She grew stronger and more resilient, her feet shrank, the hair on top of them disappearing. Instead, a neatly groomed beard grew on her face. Her eyesight changed as well. They could see better in the dim light, more sensible to the darkness of mines. As she looked up again, the dwarves stared at her, wide eyed and with open mouths. Even Thorin was slightly surprised, his anger being replaced with a short moment of fascination. He never saw her Dwarf form.
"I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner", Andy apologized, her head turned down in shame. She didn't want to see their faces. "But please, we can work this out later. First, I have to get you out of here", Andy urged them and wanted to walk past them to lead the way. Thorin held out his hand, catching her by the shoulder, not letting her pass.
"Who tells us, that you won't lead us into a trap, set up by your betrothed?", he growled. Now the gasps came.
"He's not my betrothed", Andy said with a controlled voice, her eyes still glued to the ground. "He was my betrothed. Almost three-thousand years ago. In the meantime, he's king, has a dead wife, a very much living son and want's me under his control. Now, we can stand around and be salty about things that happened, long before your great-grandfather was born, or we can get out of here, annoy my ex-betrothed Thranduil with it and finally get to the mountain. What will it be?" He didn't say anything. Finally, Andy looked up and gave him a daring gaze, raising an eyebrow. Thorin retracted is arm.
"That's what I thought", Andy said and walked past him. As they reached the top of the dungeon Gorge, Andy stopped the dwarves from ascending higher.
"No, not that way", she hissed, making the dwarves turn their heads in surprise. "Down here, come on!" Hesitantly the dwarves followed her into the cellar. At a door, Andy held out her hand, signaling them to stop. Carefully she gazed around the corner, seeing the guards passed out drunk.
"All clear. This way", she whispered and snuck on.
"I don't believe it, we're in the cellars!", Kili spoke out in disbelieve.
"You were supposed to lead us out, not further it!", Bofur called out, a little louder, making Andy shush him.
"I know what I'm doing. I lived here for almost a half a Millennia! Trust me." They didn't move. A pang went through her heart and she realized once again how fast everything could change. Fili was the first to step forward, willing to follow her. Kili joined his brother not a moment later. For a moment Thorin was stunned by their action. He would have expected, that out of all of them, the boys would have the most trouble with Andy lying to their faces. Then again, they were the most forgiving dwarves he knew.
"Lead on", Fili said with a comforting smile. Andy turned around and lead them through the wine cellar, to a storage room.
"Get into the barrels, quickly", Andy ordered, getting the rest ready.
"Are you mad!", Dwalin exclaimed angrily. "They'll find us."
Andy had enough of it. She stomped up to Dwalin and looked him dead in the eye. Thorin, who was at the end of the group to make sure they didn't lose anyone, pushed his way to the front.
"The guards have noticed our disappearance." He went silence as he saw Andy and Dwalin having a stare off. Normally, it would have been a thing of mere seconds, before Andy won the staring contest. But Dwalin was testing new boundaries. Seeing, if she was honest and truthful, like they all thought she was in the last few months. What made the scene a little more obscure, was the fact, that Dwalin was staring down a dwarven woman. Dwarves were known to be stubborn, dwarven women more so. Dwalin's stare turned into a glare. Andy's eyes hardened even more, not ready to back down.
"Get. In", she ordered in a deep voice that left no room for objection. Dwalin blinked. And then did as she ordered. The rest followed. Andy turned to Thorin.
"You too, princess", she said, making his face grow dark. He stomped past her, his shoulder brushing hers and got in. Andy walked through and checked, that all the dwarves were safely secured. "Good evening, dear gentlemen, I'm your tonight's travel guide Andrea Baggins. We thank you for picking "Barrel ride - Wet and wetter". To ensure your safety, please keep arms and legs inside the vehicle. Any luggage the elves haven't stripped from you can get lost on the way. Don't want to lose it, hold on tight to it. We wish you a good ride. "
"Wait, what do you mean by "can get lost"? ", Bofur called. And some of the others joined. Andy soon didn't hear anything of that, since she pulled the lever and the floor tilted. The barrels rolled down the gap in the floor, making the dwarves shout in surprise. Before the last Barrel slipped of the edge, Andy jumped onto the bord and slid down thought he gap, just before it shut again. She took a deep breath, before entering the water. As she surfaced again, she was a Hobbit once more. Coughing up some water that managed to get into her mouth, she swung herself into an empty barrel. As she was in, she grinned at the company over the rim of the barrel.
"The river leads all the way to the lake of Esgaroth. There's a guarded river portal at the end of the Greenwood realm. We might want to make it there, before the guards get alarmed. "
So, they started paddling.