Ravonna The White

Chapter 23: The Double Agent

Ravonna grunted as she swung over the rocky ledge, jumping off of the humongous rock wall and landing in a perfect tuck. 

Looking behind her, she pulled up her black cloak, allowing her to blend in with the dark midnight surrounding her. She finally dashed off into the night, her footsteps as quiet as could be.

......

Bard paced insides the tranquility of the elven tent, listening to the sound of Thranduil pouring Elvish wine.

"She said she would be here." Bard mumbled, having a hard time steadying his voice.

"She will be." Thranduil set one of the glasses down in front of Bard, and Gandalf continued on. "She is always late, but never absent permanently."

Just then, Ravonna walked into the tent, pulling her hood down. "Sorry I'm late." she apologized profusely. "I had other business to take care of."

"We are glad you are here." Bard smiled at her, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Ravonna returned his smile gratefully. He seemed to be the only one who had enough time to smile, anyway. His positive attitude and strong backbone is forging him into the great leader she knows he will become.

"Let's get down to business." Thranduil drawled. "I suspect that Gandalf's warning referring to the Orcs may have been correct. A great evil has entered this land, and I fear it will draw the orcs closer than ever before."

"Almost like it is telling them where to go." Bard added.

"Exactly." Ravonna stood up, smacking her hand on the table. "The way Azog's Orc pack hunted the Company down, I cannot help but agree with this information. It was almost like it was their life's mission to hunt down Thorin and the others."

A great silence filled the air, but no words were needed to explain the humungous thought filling their heads.

"What if it was?" Bard added, rising as well. "What if the line of Durin was never meant to make the journey to the Mountain?"

"Azog and Thorin have been enemies for many years." Thranduil added, eyebrows furrowed. "But when those carefully plotted plans unfolded, it was shown that it was not Azog's thinking. He is too much of- well, an Orc."

"Because it wasn't Azog's thinking." Ravonna mumbled, her face growing pale.

"You can't possibly suggest-" Thranduil reasoned with Ravonna.

"But I can." She shook her head. "All of those voices in my head, the nausea, the panic attacks..." Even the people of Laketown had heard of this foe long before the Company's arrival. "It can't be..." Bard began, trailing off.

"The Necromancer." All three said in unison.

...

Bilbo gasped and sat straight up, a sheer layer of sweat covering his body. He stood up and grabbed the glass of water beside him and chugged it rapidly.

Bilbo set the glass down with a bang and rushed out of his room and into Ravonna's temporary room (where she was staying until the dark lust left Thorin) just down the hall.

Once he reached it, he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you're here Ravonna, I just had a terrible dream about you-" he stopped in his tracks at the sight before him.

Her room was a hurricane rolling in on an already stormy day. The bed was not made, and the pillows and sheets were tangled into one pile in the center of her bed. The dresses that she had worn to keep Thorin occupied were littered across the floor, strewn over cabinets and drawers. Scrolls and quills filled up the small space on her tiny desk, some overflowing onto the floor.

"Ravonna!" He whispered, his eyes scanning for any sign of her. Surprising Bilbo, a humungous scroll fell on his large feet. He bent down to pick it up and scanned it.

Bilbo's eyes grew wide as he read the information on the page. A map of Middle Earth and all of it's regions was laid out before him, with additional side notes in Ancient Dwarvish. He couldn't translate it all, but he did catch the words Orc, war and move.

Tiny arrows indicated where Ravonna scrawled the notes, and a spear on the page was always at the beginning of an arrow. Two of the spears eventually met up near the Mountain, with a big, pale figure in front of it.

Realization hit Bilbo, and his eyes widened at the truth behind the map. Ravonna was predicting Azog and his army's next move.

.....

"This is a very dangerous plan, Thranduil. If it fails, we are all in mortal danger." Bard warned.

"What other chance do we have?" Ravonna replied. "This is the only way to confirm our suspicions without arising any trouble."

"She is right." Thranduil reasoned with Bard. "This is the only way without risking any of the troops or scouts safety."

"But who would be brave enough to carry the mission out?" Bard asked.

"They would have to be sneaky, cautious, and a skilled fighter." Thranduil added.

Ravonna looked down at her hands, debating the situation.

I have the skill and the characteristics. Plus, I know Azog's troops better than most. I have to try. "I will go." Ravonna lifted her chin, addressing both leaders.

"What?" Bard asked, astounded.

"Out of the question." Thranduil shook his head. "You are one of our only assets to win this war."

Ravonna just grinned at him. "I am no child anymore, Thranduil." He lifted an eyebrow.

"I can do it. I am more than capable, and my abilities will get me there, unseen and unheard."

Bard leaned forward, not missing a single word.

"I will be your double agent."

It's getting good! We are almost at the battle, I can feel it! I honestly forgot how much of a time gap I had between the desolation of Smaug and the Battle of the Five armies. But we will get there, I promise! See you soon.

Olivia