Just That And Nothing More

Chapter Two

Elves were very good at holding their wine, to the point Bilba feared her plan might not work at all.

After what seemed an eternity the two guards finally managed to drink themselves into a stupor and Bilba got ahold of the keys.

She returned to the cells, now thankfully free of any redheaded elves, removed her ring and set to work freeing everyone.

Cries of "Bilba!" rang out and she hurriedly hushed them, not wanting to attract attention.

She saved Kili for last, needing the extra time to get herself together. He was standing at the door waiting for her and she tried to smile at him, she really did, but it simply would not come.

She got the door open and stepped away, only to find a hand on her arm pulling her back. Kili spun her around and wrapped both arms around her, hugging her tight.

"Thank Mahal," he whispered. "You have no idea how worried I was." He pulled back, his eyes searching hers. "Bilba? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Bilba responded, finally forcing a smile that was probably closer to a grimace.

His hug meant nothing she told herself. He worried for her as much as the others did. Bofur had hugged her, as had Nori. Even Fili had thrown an arm around her shoulders for a quick hug and Thorin had clapped her on the shoulder.

It was friendship, nothing more.

She swallowed and nodded, almost to herself.

Kili liked elves. She should have remembered that. Perhaps it would have saved her pain.

"We need to get out," she said, her voice only slightly shaky. She turned to the rest of them. "Come on, I have a plan."

***

She never said it was a good plan.

That was a misconception on their part and entirely not her fault.

For all their complaining it wasn't as if any of them had a better idea. They couldn't storm the entrance and the only reason they weren't surrounded by guards already was because the only two downstairs were drunk unconscious while the rest were upstairs partying about something or other.

Probably the fact they were elves and everyone, including dwarven princes, loved them.

She finally had to turn to Thorin who proceeded to order the rest to obey her, a fact which gave her a warm fuzzy feeling in spite of her pain.

Everyone crammed into barrels and just as Kili started to say something she pulled the lever and sent them all splashing into the river below.

It was only after she did it that she realized the flaw in her plan, being that she was now alone and without a barrel of her own, as well as the fact that Kili may have been in the process of pointing this out when she'd interrupted him by sending him rolling into the river.

Luckily she was able to correct the oversight by standing on the right portion of the floor. The fact that it was purely by accident was not something anyone ever needed to know. Let them think her plan had been entirely well thought out and brilliant in every aspect.

Thorin had waited for her, which cued more warm fuzzy feelings, and after a freezing splash into the water which created no fuzzy feelings whatsoever, she managed to grab onto Gloin's barrel and hang on as they set off.

Somewhat to her surprise, as they drifted down she felt a hand close around her wrist and tug her off Gloin's barrel. She transferred automatically and looked up to see Kili's face above hers. She raised an eyebrow in question and he grinned at her.