Thranduil knew he shouldn’t. He had other things to do after all, like getting dressed for the feast that was a couple hours away. However, he still found himself outside the small room reserved for recovery.
With a sigh, he stared at the door, trying to think up a good reason to walk away. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind that was propelling enough to drive him away from the curious girl inside.
So he pushed open the door and entered, but not before making sure he looked like the rega king he was.
His effort was wasted as he discovered upon his entrance. Runa, who he’d left about to drift off wasn’t in bed. In fact, she wasn’t in the room at all.
Runa was gone.
Muttering elvish oaths under his kingly breath, Thranduil stalked out and walked with long strides to the center of the healing wing, searching for the elf in charge of the girl.
She might not have run away, Thranduil tried to reason with himself. Perhaps she’s getting a checkup or food or new clothes or… His instincts told him none of those excuses were the case and his pace quickened.
He needed her. Or more accurately, he needed what she knew. She clearly knew something he didn’t at any rate and interrogating her was a far more pleasant option that the grumpy, self-proclaimed King Under the Mountain currently lounging in the royal dungeons.
Thranduil entered, shoving both of the double doors open with a bang, catching the attention of every elf in the Healing Hall.
“Your Majesty,” said the head healer, an older, female elf with matronly eyes. “How may I assist you?”
“I’m searching for an escaped ward…” Thranduil said, not loud enough for the other elves to hear as they went slowly back to work.
“And escaped ward?” The elf looked confused for a moment, then caught on. “Oh my. Is she gone?”
Thranduil nodded grimly, his suspicions confirmed. If the Head Healer didn’t know where Runa was, she had definitely run for it.
“I will have a couple elves check the other rooms and kitchens for her, but short of revealing her presence to the entire palace there’s not much else I can do,” she admitted. Thranduil sighed,
“No. Keep her identity a secret.” The elven lady nodded and turned away. “And thank you,” Thranduil added and she glanced back with a motherly smile.
Turning, Thranduil exited the Healing Wing and hastily made his way back to his throne room. He need assistance, but who could he trust…
As he passed through the doors, he turned to one of the guards and said,
“Fetch Legolas. Quickly.” The guard nodded and scurried off as the doors slammed shut behind Thranduil, leaving him alone again in his throne room.
Suddenly a thought occurred to him and his head jerk up, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“I know you’re here,” he called in a commanding tone. “Come out.”
He waited for several agonizing seconds, but when there was no reply, his shoulders slumped ever so slightly and he moved to his throne, his gaze far away in thought…
* * *
Runa had to bite her tongue to keep from snickering. When the king had first called out, she’d frozen in terror, sure she’d been discovered.
However, it was blatantly obvious even from her hiding place in the rafters that Thranduil was fibbing. Oh he tried so hard it was funny.
As he sat down Runa smiled to herself one last time before slipping from her hiding place to the secret grating she’d found in the ceiling. It was for ventilation purposes (elves liked their fresh air) so it wasn’t big enough for a normal elf, but for Runa, who was stood at just above half their height, it was perfect.
Moving quietly and using the shadows to her advantage, she ghosted through the halls of the palace. Tonight was the Feast of Starlight… she grinned to herself. She’d never been allowed to go before, given her “dirty” heritage, but tonight…
As plans began to form in her head, she suppressed her mirth, changing her course to heads towards the dungeons. Oh this would be fun.
* * *
Bilbo had finally found an exit route. With his ring safely on his finger, he examined the barrels carefully. They’d fit the dwarves, Nora, himself, Runa and maybe even Aelith and Avice. Neinna on the other hand was going to be a problem.
Shrugging, he decided to go see what the others thought of his plan and quietly made his way out of the underground cellars back to the dungeons. The guards could be drugged easily enough, and Nora probably knew some sort sleeping enchantment or potion they could use as well.
Narrowly dodging several giggling maids, Bilbo wrinkled his nose at the elleths. They might be elves, but he couldn’t help eyeing them critically before shaking his head slightly.
Maybe traveling with such strong girls as he had been had affected him, but he couldn’t help comparing the frivolous maids to the ladies he knew, currently stuck behind bars.
Without realizing it, an image of Aelith suddenly appeared in his mind’s eye. Those elleths weren’t as pretty or smart and their laughter was so high and shrill compared with her infectious merriment.
Suddenly, Bilbo seemed to actually process what his brain was saying. It was so abrupt and unexpected that Bilbo stopped walking in the middle of the hall and almost participated in a collision with an elf carrying a cake twice Bilbo’s size.
Barely escaping that disaster, Bilbo shook his head as it to clear of the picture. Now where had that come from?
* * *
Aelith watched Nienna, Nora and Runa who had their heads bent together (or as close as they could manage given the cells they were in.
“That worries me,” commented Avice, voicing exactly what Aelith was feeling as she too glanced at her friends. Thorin snorted,
“What is it now?”
Avice nodded at the threesome. Thorin, following the direction she’d indicated paused thoughtfully before asking,
“And why does that worry you?”
The lack of sarcasm in his voice showed exactly how much he’d learned about the girls who’d joined them. Before, he’d have scoffed, now he too felt a twinge of concern upon seeing those particular girls having what looked to be a very secretive discussion.
“I imagine we’re about to find out…” Aelith commented as the three broke up and a delighted looking Runa made her way toward them.
She opened her mouth when she got close enough, but Aelith beat her to it.
“No.” Runa paused in surprise, then pouted,
“Why not?”
“Because whatever it is that you’ve got planned probably isn’t a good idea,” Aelith said witheringly.
Runa opened her mouth again.
“I don’t even want to know,” Aelith interrupted her before she could say anything. Runa dimpled mischievously,
“But it’s a good plan! Nienna and Nora helped me perfect it!”
“And that’s exactly why she doesn’t want to know…” Avice said with an eye roll. Runa looked at her masked friend hopefully.
“Do you want to hear my plan?”
“No.”
Runa went back to moping and seemed about to try again, when the abrupt appearance of someone made her jump with a squeak of surprise and assume the stance of a ninja.
Bilbo chuckled a bit along with Aelith and Avice’s hysterical laughter. Shooting her amused friends a glare, Runa turned to the hobbit,
“Well you sprang out of nowhere! Long time no see!” Bilbo smiled back at her,
“I’ve been trying to find an escape route,” he explained. Runa nodded,
“Same. I came up with a plan, but Aelith and Avice shot it down before hearing me out.” Bilbo nodded sympathetically. “Don’t suppose you’ve had any luck?” asked Runa hopefully.
“Actually I have…” admitted Bilbo and Aelith, Avice and Thorin instantly perked up.
“Tell us,” Thorin commanded.
“Please,” added Avice with a pointed look at the dwarven king, who ignored her correction of his manners.
“Well there’s a waterway we can get through. It passes through the cellars and they appear to ship barrels through it with some town presumably. The empty barrels go out and the full ones come in.”
“And?” prompted Thorin.
“And we can hide in the barrels and ride out without anyone knowing,” Aelith finished, catching on to Bilbo’s idea. Bilbo grinned at her, nodding excitedly,
“Exactly.”
“I’m not going to ride in a lowly barrel-” began Thorin, but he was rudely ignored and interrupted by Avice.
“How will we get in without anyone seeing us?”
“Actually,” Runa intervened, “we’re in luck. There’s a feast going on tonight, so everyone will be busy. If there are guards down there, Bilbo or I could easily drug them, or Nora could cast a sleeping charm or something.”
Bilbo nodded,
“I overheard them talking. There’s a shipment of barrels set to go out tonight so as long as we make it down there, no one will think anything of it.”
The others were all nodding (excepting Thorin) in agreement.
“But…” Bilbo began, looking a bit deflated as he remembered the flaw in plan. Thorin, resigned now to his objections being ignored and overruled, sighed,
“There’s always a but…”
“That’s because everyone has one, now shut up,” Avice retorted and Thorin’s face went an unhealthy shade of red, making Runa giggle. “Bilbo go on.”
“Well the barrels… they’re a bit small. They could fit the dwarves, Nora, Runa, Sarabelle and maybe you two...” he looked at Aelith and Avice.
“...but there’s no way Nienna’s going to fit in one,” finished Aelith with a groan. The others all frowned. All except Runa.
Runa began to smile.
“Ahem,” they all looked at her as she cleared her throat and felt a moment of dread at her glowing expression.
“Now do you want to hear my plan?”