I Won't Let You Go (Bagginshield)

Is This Gonna Be Forever?

I headed to the cells and quickly unlocked Thorin's cage first, as it was only fitting. He gave me a smile and tenderly touched my arm, then ordered me to free the others. As I headed to Balin's cell, he gave me a nod. "You never cease to amaze us Dwarves, laddie," he told me, and I felt good.

After they were all freed, we hurried to the room where the guards had been drinking. I was nervous and unsure, hoping my makeshift plan would work. Bofur and Dwalin looked at me. "Where's the way out?" Dwalin asked me, rather accusingly.

I pointed to a cloister of barrels. "Get in," I ordereed.

"Are you kidding?" 

I looked at Thorin and made a silent plea for help.

"Do as he says!" Thorin demanded, and without hesitation the Dwarves jumped into the barrels. I was a little proud. One day, if this lasted forever, I'd be seated next to Thorin. I'd be a king! The thought made me shiver with excitement. But..would Thorin want me for a king?

After they were all in the barrels, I made sure they rolled out the trapdoor into the sea below. I then waited for the door to fall open again and when it did, I was holding on for dear life to Oin's barrel.

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Tauriel was astonished. How had the Dwarves managed to escape? Someone had stolen the keys, and freed the Dwarves. This would have to be reported to Thranduil, but Tauriel didn't want to tell him. Instead, she went to find Legolas.

"Legolas, I need your help. We must find the Dwarves before your father finds out," she told him. "I can take the blame, but...I would prefer not to face him at this time. He's not exactly in a fabulous mood."

"I understand," Legolas answered. "Let's find them. And let's hope my father does not find out."

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Orcs. Standing up on the land, surrounding the gate which was our only way out. Thorin ran into the closed gates, frantically trying to pry them open. Dwalin tried to help, but to no avail.

Kili somehow managed to get out of his barrel, and tried to pull the handle that opened the gate. While he did, an Orc fired a shot, and it landed in his leg. Amid his screams, I heard a voice speaking in Orc.

"Give us the Hobbit," it said. It was Bolg, the son of Azog. Ew. What did he want with me? I might swing that way, but I was interested in Thorin, not that ugly piece of filth. 

Thorin scoffed. "Absolutely not. Bilbo belongs to us."

"Give us the Hobbit, or I will kill him," Bolg answered. He put a heavily armored foot on Kili, holding him down, while he aimed a spear right at his heart. I couldn't let him die. Without another word, I began to swim for shore.

"Bilbo! No!" Thorin shouted. 

My heart contracted when I heard the pain in his voice, but it also swelled that he didn't want me to go. I turned to face him. "Kili is your kin, Thorin," I replied. "I can save him, so I must."

Thorin's eyes became filled with sorrow and rage. Rage directed at Bolg, not me. I wanted to embrace him, to tell him goodbye, but there was no time. I hauled myself out of the water and ran over to where Kili was lying. I removed the arrow and he jumped back into a barrel.

Bolg lifted me by my hair, for Thorin's benefit. I struggled but couldn't get down. Thorin reached for his sword but didn't make a move.

"Thorin, listen to me," I pleaded. "You saved my life once, in Erebor. You can save it again. Moria, the Orcs are making camp in Moria. Before you come for me, you must reclaim Erebor!! You understand me? You must get the treasure that's rightfully yours."

"The only treasure I want," Thorin choked out, "is now out of my reach."

The gates opened, and I had to watch them float downriver. A small thought reverberated in my head...is this gonna be forever? With that look that had just been in Thorin's eyes, I could sincerely have hope.​​​​​​​