I Won't Let You Go (Bagginshield)

The Heart Can Only Take So Much.

I still didn't know what the Orcs wanted with me, but I didn't protest. If I protested, they'd probably cut off my hands and feet. I desperately needed those, so I kept my mouth shut and didn't ask where we were going or what they wanted. 

I still remembered the look on Thorin's face when he'd seen Bolg take me away. He looked so genuinely sorrowful, so sad to have let them take me. But I didn't blame him, I did it to save him. Whether or not he saw it that way didn't matter. I had done what needed to be done. My next plan of action was to get out of here and find Erebor before they opened that door. I wanted to be there when it was opened.

Moria. That's where we were going, I was certain. I remembered yelling at Thorin to reclaim the treasure before coming to find me, and then he'd said....what had he said? I couldn't remember. Something about the only treasure he wanted being out of his reach. Had he meant...me?

My heart skipped a beat. That's what he'd meant! That's what he had told me! Joy filled my heart before a shadow fell over me. Thorin would never come. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't dare risk the lives of the others. I didn't want him to risk their lives, but I wanted him to come for me. I supposed I'd just have to escape, and meet them at Erebor, the place of my nightmares. I didn't want to stay but I had to. 

Bolg and the others finally stopped at Moria. He dragged me inside, so I didn't get much time to look around and put together an escape plan. I could figure that out later. The ceilings were high and everything was dark and dreary. There was maybe one light coming from a small torch on the walls. Of course. Orcs could see in the dark. I, however, could not. I made a mental note of where all the torches were located, and how many hallways he dragged me through.

We finally entered one big room. Bolg threw me on the ground and left. I looked around, confused. He was leaving me here, out in the open, where I could easily traverse the hallways and escape? Don't mind if I did!

I began to walk to the entrance when I heard something behind me. Turning slowly, I saw...blackness. But I could hear a voice. A sinister, evil voice that sent chills down my spine.

"Bilbo Baggins," the voice said.

"How do you know me?" I choked out. "Who are you?"

"I am the necromancer," it answered. "The all seeing one. Sauron, the great. I am here to offer you the secrets to immortality."

"Why me?" I asked, ashamed to admit I was a bit intrigued. Immortality? That sounded nice. 

"You have a heart that's pure. I would love to corrupt it. To make you turn to my way would be a bitter blow to the company of Thorin Oakenshield. Your friends."

Corrupt my heart? How could he? I mean, I was already in pain from losing Thorin. The heart could only take so much, after all. I stared into the void, wondering what this necromancer-Sauron person wanted.

"What will receiving immortality require?"

"You must prove your loyalty to me, somehow. I will give you a series of tasks, and you will carry them out exactly the way I say. If you do each task perfectly, after the third task I will give you just rewards."

Something in me nagged at me. Tasks? That couldn't be good. This guy had a whole army of Orcs at his command. But...immortality. Thorin. I could be able to find Thorin, and help him, with no worries. I would never grow old! I could live out my days with him! The reward was too great for me to say no, although my better half was saying to refuse. How could I, now? This right here was the way out.

"All right. You've got a deal."

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Tauriel fell to her knees in despair when she realized the Dwarves had managed to escape, after all. Legolas came up behind her. "They took the small one, the Hobbit," he told her. "I have a feeling the others are going to go after him."

"Do you know where they're going?" she asked, reclaiming her footing.

"The Hobbit said they would be going to Moria. He was certain. He also told the Dwarves to leave him and go to reclaim the treasures in Erebor. We'd guessed sometime ago those Dwarves were going to that mountain."

"I'll intercept the Dwarves, in Erebor," Tauriel answered. "You must go to Moria and find that Hobbit. It might be the only way to bargain with Oakenshield."

"Maybe we should switch roles," Legolas replied uncertainly. "You know the mines of Moria better than I do."

"Yes, but I'm quicker. I can find the Dwarves and trail them." And I must find out if that golden-haired Dwarf is all right, she added to herself.

"All right, Tauriel, we'll do it your way." Legolas turned and ran into the underbrush, where he soon vanished.

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