Aeonian [Legolas]

32

Viridis left the next night without the jewels though he had searched, already suspecting Thorin had found them and thus hid them knowing his motivations.

He had half expected it, of course, and worry over it was but a distant thought in his mind as he trailed Bilbo through the night, following as he descended over the stone barricade with a rope strung about and landed almost soundlessly against the uneven ground below.

He and Thorin had a conversation earlier. About what, Viridis did not know but it wasn't too hard a guess. The Dwarves were all suiting up, fastening breastplates and arming themselves when Thorin pulled Bilbo to the side. Whatever was spoken had pushed Bilbo away from Erebor.

Viridis himself was already preparing to leave when he had spotted the Hobbit sneak past, sticking to the shadows even though it was many an hour past dark and everyone had occupied themselves elsewhere.

"Bilbo." He spoke, voice delicate against the night.

The next step Bilbo took nearly sent him off the bridge and into the moat below. He whirled, clutching at his heart, exhaling when he saw it was only Viridis.

"You half scared me to death Viridis. I don't appreciate that." He said.

"Apologies Master Baggins." Viridis replied though it sounded like he hadn't the heart to care that he nearly stopped another. He traded a glance upward to see if anyone had followed him and jutted his head toward Dale when he saw they were alone.

They traveled in silence, footsteps hardly audible save for Bilbo's as he internally winced whenever a piece of stone would be kicked out of place by him. Walking beside an Elf certainly wasn't the best person to compare to since his journey was inexplicably silent, so silent, in fact, that several times he found himself looking over to make sure the amber-haired Elf was still with him.

"Do you have the stone?" Viridis asked only when they were well enough away from Erebor and equal distance between the two Kingdoms. No one could hear them here.

"Of course." He said, patting at a pocket within his tunic once more to confirm his tellings and nodded soundly when he felt it.

Of Viridis was relieved or impressed that the Hobbithadn't managed to be found out or misplaced the stone, it didn't show on his face that was half hidden by the shadows anyway. Bilbo suspected that being so close to two conflicting loyalties was taking a toll on him. Two nations he had loyalty to and two nations that had several a reason to see to it he was banished from Middle Earth entirely.

"I was thinking we use it as a bargaining token," Bilbo said into the night as they continued onward, the lights of Dale contrasting the bleak dark of night. "Give the stone to Thranduil and Bard so that they may return it to Thorin in exchange for their shares and jewels."

Viridis nodded appreciatively, hiking easily up a small hill of jagged rock that distorted the loose path they had located. "Thorin does not give you enough credit, Hobbit. The way your mind works is staggering."

Bilbo was out of breath by the time he hiked up the stone. "Thanks." He huffed out. His brows furrowed. "A-And why were you outside Erebor? You were there before me or planning to leave at the same time anyway. Did you know I'd be there too?"

Viridis took a moment too long to respond and when he did, it was with a distinguishable hum. "I could tell what you were planning and I only wished to be there with you as you stopped a four-way war?"

"Four? What are you-" Bilbo trailed off but never finished his thought when he had to double his strides to catch up to the Elf once more. Usually, Viridis was kind with his strides and slowed down so he could keep up but tonight he seemed distracted.