Elven Princess Under the Mountain

Chapter 9

Hello readers! Welcome back! Let's keep this brief. I hope you like my story, now go! Read it!

Jackie came out of her unconsciousness to the rhythmic movement of a galloping horse. It was shortly after dawn and the sun had barely risen in the sky. Their obvious destination; Laketown. Shifting to see exactly how she was still seated on the galloping horse she moved her head the slightest bit upward, immediately she was met with the cool blue depths of the Prince of Mirkwood.

"It is about time you woke up Dornessiti. I was beginning to worry." Legolas spoke softly eyeing her up and as if making sure she was really there.

Jackie just smiled. Then moved her head again to check her surroundings. Kili was bent over on his horse as if he was about to collapse, that gave away the fact that they had rode all night and had no intentions of stopping.

The gates of the Laketown were just poles of wood making an arch, they look like they had been standing there for longer than Jackie herself had been alive even though they were probably only fifty-sixty years old. As they galloped through what she guessed was supposed to be roads she realised that the rest of lake town was not much different. The houses looked like they were about to fall in and the very place had a depressing air to it. Even the people looked hardened. The few parts of the population she did see looked malnourished, unbathed and cold to the bone. Top all that off with a grim expression that even an elf couldn't read what was behind. It made her heart clench. She had not been beyond the forest since the mountain was taken over by Smaug and she received her third scar. She had had no reason to leave the forest, she had had no clue where her family went after she helped them and it would have looked suspicious, she had left without notice on the day Smaug attacked. Against her better judgement of course but it was her family in danger and if the elves weren't going to do anything she was, and, she had made the right choice. She still shuddered to think what would have happened to a lot of innocent dwarves had she not been there that day.

Crowds of people were gathering along the side of the 'roads' watching the strange trio pass by while scrambling to get out of their way. By the time they reached the town square a crowd had gathered. The townmaster was standing on an elevated platform staring at the Lonely Mountain. He was a fat man with shoulder length dirty blond hair with a beard and impressive mustache to top it off. She didn't like him. The way he was obviously well fed, bathed regularly and wore fine clothes considering the environment and all his subjects in the town looked like dried meat made her want to hurl.

"Townmaster." She barked none too gently, ignoring the pain that once again laced through her body. "We are looking for~"

"I do not recognize your face pretty one girl. Who are you?" The townmaster asked in what he probably thought was a cool and flirtatious way.

"Someone you do not want to anger." Legolas said from behind her. She must have been imagining the hostile edge in his tone.

"We are looking for a company of dwarves." She continued as if she was never interrupted.

"Haven't seen any of their race here in ages. Now about that name..." the Townmaster responded much too quickly. Kili scoffed behind her.

Legolas, on the other hand growled. Before Jackie could ask what happened to the non expressioned, unfeeling elf he was supposed to act like he had flipped off the Stallion and onto the platform the Townmaster was so proudly standing on. Pulling out his knives he held the poor man at knife point.

"Do you remember now sir?" He snarled. She couldn't help the smirk that found its way onto her face.

"Y-yes! Company of eleven dwarves and one small thing, Hobbit, it called itself. Now if you could just lower your extremely pointy blade..." He said breathlessly. She was surprised he hadn't peed his breeches yet.