Nature's Child

Chapter 7: To Laketown in Barrels

I pull Nora toward me, into my lap as I look around.
From all directions woodland elves appear, bows raised, arrows pointing at me and my companions.
We are surrounded.
We're forced to our feet and to a clearing nearby, still surrounded by the warriors.
I pick Nora up as we're moved, muttering insults in Khuzdul under my breath with each shove the elf behind me gives.
"Thorin..." Balin mutters to me, glancing at Nora, "...how is she?"
"Silence," the elf behind him orders.
I glare at the elf. "We should never have brought her here..." I mutter.
Once we reach the clearing, one of the elves, seemingly the leader, turns to the guards.
"Search them," he says.
The guards nearest to me take what weapons I have, and start to search the pockets and folds of my tunic.
As they're searching, Nora starts to cough again, taking shuddering, wheezing breaths.
"Nora..." I mutter, as her coughing worsens.
A female elf approaches, looking at Nora curiously. "What ailment hurts her?" She asks.
"Whatever is affecting the forest," I say, kneeling and gently placing Nora on the ground.
She kneels, and coughs up the same black sludge as before, this time tinted with red.
My heart feels just about ready to leap out of my chest. "If we do not get her out of these accursed trees, she may die..." I mutter, gently rubbing her back.
The elf looks at Nora, curiously. She kneels next to us, and gently takes one of Nora's hands, inspecting the markings "Is...she's not a halfling...is she?" She asks, softly.
I shake my head. "She's Floraborn..." I mutter, catching Nora as she falls back toward me.
Another elf approaches, holding my sword.
"Where did you get this?" He demands, looking down on me.
"It was given to me," I say, looking up.
He places the blade of the sword against my throat. "Not just a thief, but a liar as well," he hisses.
"He's...not...lying..." Nora says, weakly.
I look down at her. "Nora..." I mutter, holding both of her hands, then mutter, in Khuzdul, "...save your energy, my love..."
She smiles softly. Her eyes open a little, and she looks at the elf. "We...found it...in a...troll hoard..." she mutters, "...showed them to...Lord Elrond...in Rivendell...he...let him...keep it..." she slowly raises her arm, showing the bracelet on her wrist.
I gently grab her wrist, helping her hold it up. I look up at him. "She has sanctuary," I say, "as gifted by Lord Elrond,"
He looks at me, astonished, and looks at the bracelet. He looks at the female elf, and says something in Sindarin. He then turns and shouts orders to the other guards.
The elf helps me and Nora stand.
"What did he say?" I ask her.
"You and the Floraborn will be taken to speak with King Thranduil," she says, "the others will be put in the dungeons,"
I grit my teeth, and nod a little.
---
In the king's throne room, I kneel on the ground, holding Nora upright.
Her breathing has evened out, but she is still exhausted.
"Who is...this?" He asks, gesturing toward Nora.
"He claimed he wouldn't leave her side," the elf from before, the male with golden hair, says, "Tariel says you would want to speak with her,"
Thranduil tilts his head. "Why would that be...Oakenshield?" He smiles softly.
I grit my teeth. "She-" I start, but Nora shifts a little.
"I am...I am Lady Eleanor Took, Woman of the Shire...Floraborn," she says, her voice even, and strikingly noble sounding.
I glance at her, the pallor of her skin and blue of her lips worrying me. But she's looking up at the king, a kind of regal calmness to her expression.
Thranduil looks taken aback. "Floraborn..." he mutters, "...and...why would someone such as you be traveling with..." he glances at me, "...this Company, my lady?"
"We're on a journey to reclaim their home," she says, "the Lonely Mountain,"
I inhale sharply, and help Nora to her feet.
Thranduil smiles to himself, leaning down close to us. "You have found a way in," he says, his voice soft and slippery, almost sympathetic to our plight.
I narrowed my eyes on him.
He keeps his eyes on me. "You seek that which will bestow upon you the right to rule," he says, "the King's Jewel, the Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure, I understand that." He leans back on his throne, and looks at Nora. "There are gems in that Mountain that I too desire," he says, "white gems, of pure starlight. I offer you my help,"
"What is your offer?" Nora asks.
"I will let you go," He says, "if you return what is mine,"
Nora looks at me.
"A favor for a favor?" I ask.
He nods a little. "You have my word," Thranduil says, "one King to another,"
"I would not trust Thranduil," I mutter under my breath, "the great 'king' to honor his word should the end of all days be upon us,"
Nora raises a hand, swiftly quelling my rage. "We will discuss..." she says, her voice starting to waver, "...I am in need of rest, and I have sanctuary for me and three others of my ch-"
"I grant no such sanctuary," Thranduil says, swiftly, raising a hand, cutting her off, "a decision must be made now...my Lady,"
I grit my teeth, about to step forward to defend Nora, when she lets go of me, striding forward.
As she approaches the king, she almost doubles in height, matching his, her hair growing to a long, beautiful waterfall of pale blonde and white locks, the fabric of her dress creaking to fit her new tall, slender, elven frame.
Thranduil leans back, surprised, as she stands in front of him, her face mere inches from his.
"It is not your choice to grant or deny the sanctuary, Thranduil," she says, her voice echoing powerfully, reminding me almost of Gandalf, "it is a code you must keep to. The sanctuary protects me, Thorin, Balin and Bilbo Baggins, and we shall answer you in the morning. No matter our answer, whether or not we'll get the stones for you, you will release us, all of us, so we may continue our journey. Have I made myself clear?"
He nods, not looking away from her.
She nods, takes a few steps back, and sways, falling to her knees.
I rush up to her as she shrinks back to her original form, the black substance dripping from the corner of her mouth. "Nora..." I mutter, "you shouldn't push yourself..."
She leans into me, unconscious.
I sigh. I turn toward her, pulling her closer to me, and gently kiss her forehead as the guards stand us up to lead us away.
---
I sit by Elanor's bed, holding her hand, gently rubbing the back of it. I take a deep breath, and look up as the door opens.
A guard shoves in both Bilbo and Balin.
"Balin..." I sigh, and he quickly comes over and checks on Elanor.
He sighs. "She's alive...but exhausted," he says, "what happened?"
"She used her Sanctuary from Elrond," I say, "let it include us as well. She...she turned into an elf to speak to Thranduil, and..." I smile softly, "he seemed scared of her,"
Bilbo chuckles a little. "She can be a little scary when properly miffed..." he mutters. He sits on the bed at her feet, and gently pats his cousin's knee.
"How'd they find you, lad?" Balin asks Bilbo, "I didn't see you in any of the cells..."
He presses his lips together and shrugs. "You must have just missed me, then..." he mutters, then looks at me. "What did Thranduil want?" He asks.
I sigh. "He wants a certain kind of stone from Erebor," I mutter, "ones that shine like starlight,"
Balin nods, sitting in a nearby chair. "And...if we get them for him, he'll let us go?" He asks.
"So he says," I say, "but...Nora told him to let us go regardless of our decision,"
"You really think he'll keep to that?" Balin says, scoffing.
I shake my head. "We must find another way to escape," I say, holding and gently rubbing Nora's hand.
"I...I can go have a look," Bilbo offers, "see if I can't find a way out, and a way to get the others out of their cells,"
I look at him. "And you're sure you won't be caught?" I ask him.
He nods. "I've found I'm rather good at this...burglar business," he says, smiling softly.
I chuckle, and nod. "Don't take long," I say, "we'll let her rest for the night, and leave at first light when you find our escape,"
He nods. "I'll be right back, then..." he mutters, backing toward the door. He, very slowly, very quietly opens the door to our room, and peaks out. He silently slips out of the room, and the door shuts behind him.
Balin sighs, and I look at him.
"We should have never come here..." he mutters, holding Nora's hand, "...we endangered her, so soon after she extended her power to save you..."
I sigh, nodding. "We're so close, Balin..." I mutter, "...so close to home..."
He smiles softly, but it's a sad kind of smile. "I know, lad..." he says, "...I can almost smell it," he chuckles.
I smile softly, looking at Nora as she coughs softly.
Balin sighs. "You don't think they'd deny us water, would they?" He mutters, looking at the door.
"Knowing elves..." I mutter.
Balin sighs and stands up. "Can't hurt to try..." he mutters. He opens the door of the room and looks out. "Eh...pardon me?" I can hear him say, just outside of the door, "I...I'd hate to be a bother, but...Lady Eleanor is sick, and needs some water," he pauses, listening, "Thank you kindly. Yes, I'll wait right here," he steps back into the room. "They'll bring some water up," he mutters, "Didn't seem too pleased about it, but...he'll bring it,"
I chuckle. "Always the diplomat," I say.
He chuckles softly. "Sometimes it is better to speak than to fight," he says, sitting down at the foot of Nora's bed again.
I nod, then sigh. I look at Nora, still holding her hand. I gently rub the back of her hand.
"Something the matter, Thorin?" Balin asks.
I grit my teeth a little. "Balin...I do not know what we will find in the mountain," I say, "I am not sure what we will be walking into. Because of that...when we have the time before arriving in Erebor...I think a Silent Ceremony is in order..."
He looks taken aback, and smiles softly. "Are you sure, Thorin?" He asks, "have you spoken to her about it?"
"Not as of yet," I say, "I want you to be my witness, so I thought it proper to ask you first, and see if you would think it...smart,"
He nods. "I agree with you, completely," he says, "I am honestly surprised you didn't request it sooner,"
I nod a little. "With all that has happened..." I mutter, "...I haven't had the chance..."
We both look toward the door as someone knocks.
Balin stands up, and answers it. "Ah!" He says, accepting a cup and a pitcher, "thank you, kindly," as he turns the door closed behind him. "Water," he says, setting the cup and pitcher down on the table. He fills the cup, and hands it to me.
I nod, and turn to Eleanor. "Nora..." I mutter, gently trying to rouse her.
Her eyes just barely open.
"Water," I muttered to her, "then, you may rest again..."
She nods, and I help her sit up and take a drink of the water. She then lays back down, and turns toward me a little, holding my hand as she sleeps.
I smile softly. I stifle a yawn, feeling my own eyelids droop.
"Rest, Thorin," Balin says to me, "I'll wake you when Bilbo returns,"
I nod. I stand, and grab a chair from the table in the room, moving it next to the bed, and sit down. I grab Nora's hand, and lean back in the chair. I close my eyes, letting myself slip into a light sleep.
---
"Nora..." Thorin says as he rouses me, "...Nora, we're leaving..."
I blink my eyes open, and take a deep breath, yawning. "What?" I mutter, "We didn't make a decision, though..."
"I don't trust Thranduil to keep to his word, so I had Bilbo scout an escape," he says, "and he's found one. He's gathering the others, and we're meeting in the hall,"
"What about the guards?" I ask, getting up from the bed. I already feel much better than I had, but still somewhat drained.
"Just follow me," he says, holding onto my hand as he leads me out of the room.
I follow, holding his hand, grabbing his tunic sleeve with my other hand.
We sneak out of the room we were held in, and silently down the hall, to where Balin is waiting.
Balin looks at me, and smiles softly. "Nora..." he mutters, relieved, "...good to see you on your feet, lass..."
I smile, nodding, "Thank you," I say, quietly.
"This way," Thorin says, leading us down to another hall.
We follow him, when we find Bilbo and the others.
"This way," Bilbo says, smiling at me, briefly, now taking the lead. He leads us down flights of stairs.
"Good to see you, Nora..." Fili mutters to me, him and his brother following close behind me and Thorin.
I smile at him. "Thank you..." I mutter. That's when I realize that we're still going deeper down, winding through stone tunnels.
"I don't believe it," I hear Kili say, "we're in the cellars,"
"You were supposed to be leading us out," Bofur says, "not further in!"
"I know what I'm doing," Whispers over his shoulder at them.
Bilbo leads us to the back of the cellar, to what seems to be a stack of empty barrels. He gestures towards the barrels. "Everyone..." he says, urgently, "climb into the barrels, quickly,"
"Are you mad?" Dwalin says, "They'll find us,"
"No, they won't," Bilbo says, "I promise. Please...you must trust me," he looks at me, desperately.
I nod a little, and look up at Thorin.
We then all turn, hearing the sounds of approaching voices.
My grip tightens on Thorin's hand.
Thorin looks at me, then at Bilbo, and then nods. "Do as he says," he says, looking at the rest of the company.
Muttering under their breath, the dwarves scramble into the barrels.
"Would it help if I turn into a mouse?" I ask, looking at Thorin, "hide in your pocket?"
"I don't want you using your abilities until you're fully rested," he says, "or as far from this accursed forest as possible," He kneels in front of the barrels, and holds a hand out to help me climb into one of the higher barrels.
Bofur kneels with him, helping me as well. He looks up at me, giving a kind of crooked but sincere smile.
I smile a little, and accept their help as I climb into a barrel.
Thorin pats Bofur's shoulder as he helps him into a barrel, then climbs into the barrel under me.
Bilbo hurries over to a wooden lever that protrudes from the cellar wall.
I furrow my eyebrows, peeking out of my barrel at my Cousin.
Bofur's head pops out from his own, near mine. "What do we do now?" He asks.
"Hold your breath," Bilbo says, his eyes flicking to me. Bilbo pulls on the great lever with all his might.
I gasp, ducking back into my barrel as the ground suddenly lurches.
The dwarves and I yell as, suddenly, the entire floor beneath the stack of barrels rises and tilts revealing, beneath the cellars the rushing water of an underground stream.
The barrels slide, plummeting down into the churning depths.
I hold my breath before my barrel hits the surface of the water, clinging to the sides for dear life.
After a few moments, I feel we are tumbling around in a slow flowing water channel.
I peek out of my barrel, and look around.
We are passing through an underground cavern beneath the fortress.
I then hear something fall into the water behind me. I turn and see Bilbo floundering in the water. I gasp, and reach out, pulling his hands to hold onto my barrel. "Bilbo!" I cheer.
Ahs he holds onto my barrel, he coughs and splutters as water goes into his mouth.
Thorin, holding onto my barrel so I don't float too far from him, tries to haul Bilbo up to a safer position. "Well done Master Baggins!" He says, laughing a little.
I smile at Thorin, who returns the smile. I then look around. 'I wonder if turning into a fish could help at this juncture...' I think, but stop the thought before I actually change. 'No changing, Nora,' I remind myself, 'you still need rest,'
In front of me, the barrels are floating in single file. Further down the stream, the water is picking up speed, causing barrels to thud together.
I bite my lip a little. "Is this a bad time to mention I was never good at swimming?" I say, looking at Thorin, "I can swim, just...not well,"
He looks at me, and I can't tell if he's angry or amazed.
Further down the stream, I hear Dori and Oin yell in fright.
I look forward as the barrels disappear over a small waterfall in the natural rock cavern. "Crumbs..." I mutter, fear starting to grip at my chest.
As our barrels emerge out of a tunnel, and tumble over the edge of a waterfall, I see Thorin's grip tighten on the edge of my barrel.
I hold onto his wrist.
"Hold on!" Thorin yells.
The barrels float towards a narrow channel, leading to a fast flowing waterway that heads off down the wooded hillside.
Further down, an iron portcullis above the channel entrance is open.
"Holo in-annon!" A voice calls out from the banks of the river.
Close the gate!
I look up seeing the golden haired elf.
The sound of a long note on a trumpet rings through the air.
Elven entries leap into action, closing the portcullis.
My barrel almost slips through the portcullis gates, but gets jammed, making me yelp.
The remaining barrels crash into it, bobbing and cracking against each other
"Oh, no!" I whimper, looking over the edge of my barrel.
Then, from above me: THWACK!
I look up. "Oh, no..." I mutter.
A loud, filthy voice rings out: "Goridug!" Slay them all!
Within moments, a desperate struggle begins as orcs attack.
Members of the company use barrel lids to stop orc arrows.
Orcs leap onto barrels, and soon Bilbo and the dwarves and I are fighting for our lives.
I yelp as a orc leaps at me, and as raise my hands, vines of slimy, algae covered river weeds shoot out of the water, wrap around the orc, and throw him downstream. I freeze, watching, then look at my hands as the vine-like marks on my hands glow and pulse a greenish light.
"Nora!" Thorin says, "whatever you just did, keep doing it!"
I look at him, and nod. I look at other orcs, and think 'River weeds, moss, please, help us!' And, move my hands as if conducting music, willing the plants to move.
Vines of river weeds sprout from the water, between barrels, fighting off the orcs.
Moss from the stones of the portcullis grows into hand-like tendrils, fighting the orcs from above.
Suddenly, the portcullis gates open, and we start forward again, down the rapids of the river.
We continue to fend off orcs as the current spins and churns us away from the woodland realm.
I now ask vines and branches from the forests around us for help, and then look down at my cousin.
Bilbo clings on to my barrel for dear life. I grab his sleeves as the barrels sail over a high waterfall towards the river below.
Then, all is silent.
I take a deep breath, and peek out of my barrel.
We are bobbing along a placid, tree-lined forest river.
"Anything behind us?" Thorin calls out.
"Not that I can see," Balin returns, his voice shaken.
"I think we've out run the Orcs!" Bofur calls out.
"Not for long," Thorin says, "we've lost the current!"
"And Bombur's half drowned," Dwalin calls out.
"Make for the shore!" Thorin calls out.
I nod. I close my eyes, and ask the weeds of the river to help us get to shore safely and swiftly.
Exhausted and soaking wet, we struggle to maneuver our barrels to shore by whatever means we can: paddling with our hands or steering with broken tree branches.
Finally, we reach the shore.
I'm the first to run around, and I hop out of my barrel, and help the others get to shore. I help Bilbo out of the water, and then Thorin, and will the weeds to pull other barrels to the rocky shore.
"Nora..." Bilbo mutters, then pulls me in for a soaking hug.
I laugh a little.
"You can control plants?" Bofur asks me, wringing out his hat.
I shake my head. "I just ask them for help!" I say.
He laughs a little.
I look around, and see a bedraggled Kili sitting on the shoreline, blood seeping through the fingers of his hand which covers something on his thigh.
I tilt my head. I walk toward him, and kneel down. "Let me take a look," I offer, gently, reaching toward the wound.
"I'm fine," he says, gently pushing my hands away, "it's nothing,"
I looked up at Fili, and exchanged a worried look.
"On your feet!" Thorin calls from behind us.
"Kili's wounded," Fili says, "his leg needs binding,"
"There's an Orc pack on our tail," Thorin says, "we keep moving,"
"To where?" I ask
"To the Mountain," Bilbo says, "we're so close,"
"A lake lies between us and that Mountain," Balin says, "and we've no way to cross it,"
"So..." Bilbo says, slowly, "then we go round,"
"The Orcs will run us down, sure as daylight," Dwain says, then looks at Thorin, "We've no weapons to defend ourselves,"
Thorin looks at Dwalin, then at me, then at the other Dwarves. In his eyes, I see that he makes a decision. "Bind his leg - quickly," he says, to Kili, then looks at Balin, "You have two minutes," he gently grabs my arm, and pulls me to my feet.
I look at him. "I can help him," I say.
"You'll end up taking the wound, and we don't know the extent of it yet," he says, "we don't need you taking more than you can again,"
"We?" I ask, teasingly, "Don't you mean you?"
He looks at me, then turns to me. He gently grabs both of my hands. "Nora..." he mutters, switching to Khudzul, "...I...I need to ask you something..."
I tilt my head. "Yes, Thorin?" I ask, also switching to Khudzul.
"When we have a chance for rest..." he says, "...I wish...I want to..." he takes a deep breath, "...in Dwarven tradition, we have something known as a Silent Ceremony: a kind of...oath soldiers take before battle, when victory is not sure. It's not as grand as other unions, but...it's just as binding..."
I stare at him. "An oath?" I ask, "Union? Like...marriage?"
He smiles slightly, and nods. "I am asking you to be my queen," he says, switching back to common tongue, "Lady Eleanor Took, Woman of the Shire, Lady of the Forest. I would be honored if you were to rule by my side...as my wife,"
Tears fill my eyes, my heart lifting. I nod, finding myself at a loss of words.
He smiles, squeezing my hands a little. "I have already chosen my witness," he says, "the ceremony itself includes those being bound, a witness from each side, and a third, unrelated witness. Balin has agreed to be mine. You need to choose yours now,"
I nod. "I'll speak with Bilbo," I say, "he is my cousin...I wouldn't choose anyone else,"
He nods, a slight smile showing on his face.
We both look up as we hear an arrow be released from a bow, and wood clatter to the ground.
Dwalin, Oin, and the others are looking at a stranger, a man in a hide coat, holding a bow.
Instinctively Kili's hand moves towards a sharp rock.
The man sends an arrow flying, spinning the rock out of Kili's reach, sending it scudding along the ground.
Thorin pulls me closer to him, as we stare at the stranger, an arrow already fitted in his bow again.