"What..........what are you...........?" The elf uncharacteristically stammered, as he fumbled for the torch. Holding it as high as he could, as she clung to the bars of the enchanted cell.
If it hadn't been for the elven king's magic doors, he would never have been able to hold her like this. She would have been gone; never to be seen again in this accursed realm. Yet even her own abilities could not break this particular enchantment. Her curses upon the head of the king, more than once being heard ring out in the dungeon.
"Why do you not come a little closer, and I will whisper what I am, into your ear." She replied. Her voice now soft, sweet, alluring.
"I could only imagine how your king would reward you, if you were to finally discover what I am. What my true nature is............Surely it would mean that you never had to step foot in this dungeon again. He may even make you a captain of the guard........" She continued. Her smile growing, as he slowly stepped forward. The ellon suddenly stopping, his eyes growing wide, as the light from his torch caught something. The guard turning on his heels and making his way back up the stairs, as quickly as he could. His footfalls followed by a laugh, which once more became a song. The ellon ignoring the confused looks of the dwarves, as he made his way passed their cells and out of the dungeons.
"What ya think's gotten into him...............?" Bofur asked no one in particular, as he tried to peer into the darkness below them.
"Don't know, don't care. But good riddance........." Dwalin huffed in reply. His arms crossed firmly over his chest. The big dwarf still sulking about the fact that the door to his cell wouldn't budge. The others looking at one another, as once more the beautiful voice appeared from far below them.
>>-----------------------------------<<
Balin rushed to his cell door, as Thorin was brought into the dungeons, and put into one of the empty cells.
"Did he offer you a deal?" The old dwarf asked.
"He did. I told him he could go Ish kakqui ein durug nul. Him and all his kin......" Balin closing his eyes at the reply.
"Well, that's that then.......A deal was our only hope..........."
"Not our only hope............"
>>----------------------------------<<
"I'll wager the sun is on the rise. Must be nearly dawn." Bofur said, from the corner of his cell.
"We're never going to reach the Mountain, are we........?" Ori countered. His voice soft, sad.
"Not stuck in here, ya not........." Another voice replied. The dwarves looking out to see Bilbo with a large bunch of keys in his hand.
"Shhhhh, there are guards nearby........." The Hobbit continued, as the dwarves called out his name. Bilbo opening Thorin's cell, before moving onto Balin's and then the others. The dwarves ready to make their escape, before Balin remembered something.
"We can't go yet........?"
"What do you mean........?" Bilbo asked, before Thorin could get the words out.
"We heard something before you two got here. We think that the elves have a dwarrowdam locked up further down in the dungeons." Balin explained, as he made his way over to the stairs that lead down into the darkness.
"A dwarrowdam? What makes you think that.......?" Thorin enquired, as quietly as his temper would allow. The would be King under the Mountain, wanting to get out of the elven kingdom as quickly as possible.
"She was singing..........."
"Singing............?"
"She was singing a dwarven lullaby in Khuzdul. Who else would know such a thing. We cannot leave a lady locked in these cells. It would be wrong, laddie......." Balin continued, looking at Thorin. The prince wanting to argue, to say that they didn't have time for this; nor did he want to have to drag a dwarrowdam along with them. They were so close to the Mountain now, and he couldn't have anything else getting in the way. But he knew that he could not argue. If a dwarrowdam was locked in these cells, no matter what she had done to warrant it, they could not leave her to the elves.
"Fine........but hurry up............." Balin nodding at Thorin's words, gesturing for Bilbo to follow him. The pale haired dwarf grabbing a torch, before he and the hobbit made their way down the stairs.
>>------------------------------------<<
Suddenly she sat up. Footsteps. Surely the elf guard was not foolish enough to.........but no, these were no elvish footfalls. No, this was a dwarf and............a hobbit? A hobbit? If dwarves being in Mirkwood were not strange enough, a hobbit in Mirkwood was most definitely so. Admittedly, she had not met many of their kind on her travels over the years; but the handful that she had, seemed to much prefer the quiet life. To be warm, happy and well fed in their hobbit holes. So, this one, this one had to be a little unusual. Her form moving back into the gloom, as the torch that one of her visitors was carrying, moved ever closer.
"Hello............" Balin called out, as he and Bilbo stepped off the last step.
"No......please. Please don't hurt me again............." A soft, female voice replied with a sob. Balin and Bilbo looking at one another, before they moved forward.
"We aren't going to hurt you, lassie." The old dwarf assured, as he and Bilbo came to the door of the cell. The light from the torch allowing them to see a huddled form at the very back of the stone room. A form that was covered in tattered clothes; her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"You are lying. The king.........the king makes the guards say that; they promise me that they will let me go, if I will tell them why I was in the forest............." Her pained words causing the hobbit and dwarf to look at one another again. Balin gesturing for Bilbo to unlock the door. Her ears pricking up, as she heard the jangle of the keys. As she heard one being placed into the lock.
"But, we are here to release you. Look..........." Bilbo said softly, as he turned the key in the lock, and slowly opened the door. This all she needed, her body moving at speed towards the now open cell door. Bilbo stumbling backwards and falling as she came at him, only to disappear and turn into a dark smoke, that quickly rose up from the depths of the elven dungeon. Leaving Bilbo and Balin to look at one another.