Loyalty, Honor, and a Willing Heart

Chapter 23 - Barrel Ride

“I think this wine is taking more on me than I would expect, Father.”

Thranduil tapped his sons’ thigh, much to Legolas disgust, and smiled knowingly.

“Dear son, don’t drink ale like water, don’t drink wine like ale, and don’t drink Dorwinion wine like ordinary wine. You should know it already.”

“Sure, Father.” He smiled back, reaching for a peach in a tray close by, his alibi being set. “I’m going to walk around a bit, to clear my head off the wine, see people…”

“As you wish, youngling. The role tradition expects from you at this party is already fulfilled. Go enjoy yourself with your friends.”

And so, dismissing his son like if he were a kid wanting to play with his comrades, Thranduil set in motion the events that would culminate in the loss of his dungeon’s security reputation.

***

“Hurry!” Said Tauriel is a hushed voice to Ellen, who jumped up from her bed in half a second. “Bilbo is freeing the others, you go with me to take your weapons.”

“Are you sure it will be safe? I would not like to stay a minute more than needed, you’re putting yourself in danger.”

The captain of the guard glanced back at her while they ran down the tunnels as silently as they could.

“They are close to the cellars, it will not take more time than for the hobbit unlocking the dwarves. They are a heavy load, we must find a barrel big enough to keep it from sinking.”

They ran in almost absolute darkness, Tauriel holding an oil lamp half covered so to shed light only in front of them, and then after a sharp turn the Mirkwood elf signaled the other to a halt.

“You will need your Lócënehtar sword if you are supposed to kill a dragon”.

She unlocked a heavy wooden door reinforced with iron. There was no time for much rummaging, and the weight of the whole load was deterrent to take everything that was plundered from the Company, so they focused in the main weaponry and left the garment behind. Tauriel held a burlap sac open while Ellen shove the weapons inside it as fast as she could.

“I know we are in a hurry, but I must thank you nonetheless, as I don’t know if we will ever meet again.”

“There is nothing to be thanked for, on the contrary, Tauriel. You are putting yourself at risk in helping us. It will never be forgotten, and we will never be able to reward you accordingly for this help.”

Ellen put a pair of throwing axesand a mining pick inside the sac. They hauled it out of the cell and Tauriel locked the door again. There was no running with that load between them.

“You already have. This is nothing if compared to the hope of having my land safer and free of evil.” They stopped for a moment, regaining their breath. “And you gave me back someone I missed dearly, you know.”

“It was nothing. I just made Legolas himself find out how much not talking to you was utterly…”

“Stupid!”

Both dark haired elves turned to the smiling blond elf who just arrived from the complete darkness. Legolas kissed Tauriel hurriedly and helped them to carry the weaponry sac to the empty barrel storehouse, with its wooden floor and trap-door from where Thorin Oakenshield and his Company hoped to gain their freedom.   Paradoxically, Bilbo was the only one to be seen, having been very efficient in freeing the dwarves and Iris and storing them inside the barrels with the help of Legolas, who went to help the women with the weapons when he saw there was only a couple of dwarves to be stowed and the elves didn’t show.