The Truth Beneath the Rose

Always

With swift feet, Biblo made for the prisons. Neither Thranduil nor Thorin knew that he had been hiding in the shadows of the armory. He knew what was at stake. He ran through the halls, unseen. The ring he found in the Goblin tunnels had proven to be magical. He only had to slip it onto his finger and he would be invisible. He had snatched the keys from a drunken guard and now was as good a time as any to escape. He climbed the stairs to the prison and heard the Dwarves speaking.

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise." Bofur said. "Must be nearly dawn."

"We're never gonna reach the mountain, are we?" Ori asked sadly. Everyone's spirits sank in realization. The quest had been in vain. Bilbo took off his ring and peeked around the corner into Thorin's cell.

"Not stuck in here, you're not." He smiled and held up the keys. Relief spread through Thorin's body. All of the Dwarves pressed their faces against their bars and cheered.

"Bilbo!" Balin cried.

"What?" Kili said in disbelief.

They began making a great deal of noise. Bilbo feared this. If they were not careful, they would be caught and he feared what punishment would come for them. "Shh!" He hissed. "There are guards nearby!" He opened Thorin's cell.

"Nevaeh?" Thorin asked.

"I-I'm working on that." The Hobbit stuttered.

"I have to find her." Thorin growled. "What is your plan?"

"The cellar." Bilbo said as he released Balin and Dwalin. "The way out is down there. We must be quick and quiet."

"Get the other's to the cellar." Thorin instructed. "I will find Nevaeh and meet you there." He pulled out the key to the hidden door. "If they sound the alarm before we get there, leave us. Do you understand?"

"Bu-" Bilbo was cut off.

Thorin grabbed his shoulders. "I will not allow this quest to be for nothing."

"I understand." Bilbo shook his head. "You have my word." Thorin nodded and started off towards the dungeons. He vaguely remember where they were located. He had been here long ago, before the feud began, when Elves and Dwarves were at peace. Though he had never been shown the dungeons, he had seen the door that led to them. He wondered if the Vampires had been slaves then. He would never know. He kept quiet, freezing at every shadow. When he found the door, he crept inside. Down the stairs he went, into the darkness. He heard water dripping and there was barely any light, only small candles here and there. He wanted to call for her but he feared that a guard would hear. He searched every chamber for her, but found nothing. There were no guards down here. He grabbed the keys from the hook.

"Nevaeh?" He hissed. Where was she? "Nevaeh? Answer me." He came to the last cell. "Neveah?" Nothing. His heart thumped wildly. What had they done with her? He turned his back and turned to walk away. When he heard the sound of chains.

"Don't go." Her voice was a faint as the wind. His eyes struggled to find her in the darkness.

"Come to me." He beckoned.

"I can't." She croaked. "You're too close."

"I'm going to get you out." He said urgently fumbling with the keys.

"No, stop!" She cried.

"We're leaving this place." He rushed. "Bilbo and the others-."

"Listen to me!" Suddenly, her fingers were knotted into his shirt and he was slammed against the bars. "These bars are the only thing keeping you alive." He could see her now. She was starving. He remembered what happened before, how uncontrollable she had become. This time was different. She was a caged animal. Scared and hungry. "If you open that door, I'll kill you." She whimpered. "You have to go."

"I will not leave without you." Thorin argued.

"You must." She urged.

"No." He growled, gripping her harms.

"I said go!" She shoved him into the wall.

"Who's down there?" Someone called from the entrance.

"Hide!" Nevaeh hissed.

The guard strutted down the dark walkway, his lantern guiding his way. Thorin was tucked deep in the shadows, bracing himself for the worst. Once the guard reached her cell, he peered inside. "Who were you talking to?" He demanded. "I heard voices."

"The dark speaks to us all." She giggled.

"A lunatic. Fantastic." He grumbled. "Probably just muttering to yourself to get some attention." He smacked the bars. "Well shut it! I don't want to hear another peep out of you!" He growled and turned on his heel. Not quick enough. He was yanked back against the bars, his skull smacking hard against the steel. His lantern shattered on the floor and the fire fizzled out.

"Leaving so soon?" She purred in his ear. The proximity of her lips to his skin send chills through his body. Her grip on him was smothering. He could not even scream. He struggled against her, uselessly. "Shh. Hush now." Her voice was melodic. "No more peeps can come from this dungeon." Thorin could hear the smile on her lips. He saw nothing but darkness. But he knew. The guard tried so hard to scream. When the sounds of his struggle stopped, Thorin knew what Nevaeh had done. An ominous silence fell over the dungeon. Thorin could hear his own heart and the dripping of water. "Come out." She said. He approached her cautiously. He was not sure how she would react. When he was close enough, he could see how much better she looked. Color returned to her cheeks and her hair was shinier. Her lips were stained red. The guards body sprawled on the floor.

"Are you alright?" He asked heedfully, as he wrapped his fingers around the bars of her cell.

"Are you?" She retorted. Her eyes diverted to the body on the ground.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Don't be coy." Nevaeh rolled her eyes. "It's not normal for someone to see something like that."

"I saw nothing." He smirked.

"I don't want you to be afraid of me." She sighed and peered up at him. "Are you afraid of me?"

Thorin thought for a moment and sighed. "Not in the way that you think." He answered.

"How then?" She asked.

He looked down at her, as her eyes searched his, he reached through the bars and cupped her face. "I am not afraid of what you are. I'm afraid of losing you. When you left... I realized that you are the only person in the world with the power to hurt me." She stared at him. "Now, I am going to open this gate and you are going to come with me. We are leaving this place together or not at all. There is no other alternative." He slid the key into the lock and opened to door. She was frozen. He held out his hand and waited for her to grasp it. She did and he pulled her into him, brushing his thumb against her cheek. "Together." He said.

"Always." She held onto him fiercely. She never wanted to be without him again. It was a foreign feeling to her, but it was a feeling none the less.