The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

24 | New faces

{Rigmor POV}

"Well, who did you bring home?" an Elf with long brown hair and high cheekbones asked the blonde Elf who held Myrna by her wrists.

"Two intruders, Solomon. We found them while hunting Great Spiders, captured by those pesky monsters. The brunet brought his face closer to Myrna.

"Hm, I see. They would like to get refuge here. Their faces just scream that they've been roaming around for at least a month now. Well, we've got the best rooms here. But first, strip them off their weapons and give them a bath. They smell horrible."

"How kind of you." Myrna commented, sarcasm laying thickly on her voice.

"How about we chain the two of you up, hm? Then we can be sure you aren't going to fiddle with any locks around here." Legolas said.

I got pressed against a wall with my face towards it and I had to turn my head to prevent getting crushed.

"There is nothing wrong with me standing against a wall on my own. I can do it fine by myself, calm down." I sighed as my arms got pushed to the wall roughly, another pair of hands starting to roam over my clothes to check it on any weapons or other dangerous stuff.

Myrna got searched as well, but unlike me she was grinning like an idiot while Legolas patted all of her pockets to see if it didn't contain any illegal items.
"Easy there. At least you should take me on a date first before you touch me like that."

The blond Elf let out a huff out of annoyance.

"All clear." The Elf searching me said in a monotone after plucking a dagger from me that was strapped inside my boot. A sharp push from Tauriel against my lower back made me walk forward again.

"This way."
The Elves that had been on the hunt as well started to wander away from us, except Tauriel and the Legolas, who led Myrna.

We halted in a hall, Legolas leaving us as well.
"In here are the bathrooms. I will go in with you, Legolas will stay here. As soon as you try to leave, you will be killed on the spot. Understood?"

I nodded, and after a moment of hesitation, Myrna agreed as well.
"Glad we could come to terms." Tauriel sighed.

We walked inside, a dirty bath already standing in the middle steaming with warm water. The smell of roses filled the room.

"Strip." We did as we were told and stepped into the water.
"This bath might be a little rusty, but I am happy that we can at least bathe." my best friend sighed, slipping in fully to her neck.

I nodded.
"Agreed, Myrn. How long was it ago anyways since we last properly washed ourselves? A week?"

"Silence!" Tauriel demanded.

I washed my skin with the strong smelling soap and dried myself off before changing back into my dirty tunic. At least it gave me a bittersweet comfort to hang the amulet that Gandalf had gifted us with the outfit at the beginning of our journey around my neck.

Our hands were tied up again, better this time, and we got lead through a few big halls. The place was huge, a palace even bigger than the Goblin Town itself, or so it seemed.

We passed a throne room, an Elf in a silver gown sitting on top of it, around his head a crown made out of what seemed like antlers. His face was rather smug, but a suspicious glare accompanied it as we walked past the hall.

He seemed like the leader or something, and I saw the Elf named Legolas from earlier sharing some words with him. They looked alike. We went through a few other narrow halls and we arrived at the cells.

"This place will do you two well."
We got pushed into the nearest one, the lock tightly being closed behind us.
"At least you should give us some food, redhead!" Myrna barked.

The she-Elf didn't seem amused.
"If you continue like that, you'll get nothing. Show some respect first."

Myrna huffed and slumped against the wall.
The cells were dark and a bit stale, but it was better – and way cleaner - than what we sat in while in Lake Town, many years ago.

"So, that means no way out for now." Myrna mumbled while trying to free her wrists from the shackles.
"Also, this isn't stone. Maybe it is but... It seems odd."

I sat down next to her, staring to the opposite wall.
"This is it, don't you think so? The Company, Gandalf, Radagast... I hope they all will live well and will think of us every day. We don't want to be forgotten."

Myrna scoffed. "Already giving up hope, aren't you?"
I shrugged. "What is the point in having hope in a situation like this eh?"

A sound emitted from the cell at the other side.
"Hello?" Myrna spoke, making her way towards the door.
Through the bars, we saw a figure.

"What's your name?" The figure pressed itself into the corner a bit tighter.
"Do you hear me? Hello?"
Her hands weren't tied, so she covered her face with them.
Red hair framed her face and hid her even more from our view.

"Are you deaf? Hey, you! Listen to me when I speak to you!"
"Don't talk to my beloved like that!" another person spoke from the cell next to us. He had light brown hair and was rather muscular.

"And who might you be?" Myrna snapped, losing her patience.
"Not telling you, miss Grumpy."
"Don't call me that, you arrogant bastard!"

The guy chuckled. "I think it suits you."
"Why is your girlfriend ignoring me? She stupid?"

I bumped her shoulder with mine. "Stop that."
"Why should I?"
"Who knows how long we will be in here with them. At least you should be nice towards them."

The guy applauded, albeit sarcastically.
"See? Your friend over there gets it. You can't get friends around here if you act all snarky, miss Grumpy! You have to be kind to get attention from us."

Myrna rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I don't like you already anyways."

She got to the back of the cell whilst I stayed next to the entrance.
"Sorry for her. It's probably just the fact that we didn't expect to end up here."

He wryly smiled. "I can imagine. It's okay."

As I turned my gaze to the cell the girl was in, she was gone.
She must've gone to sleep. Perhaps I could try to break the ice another time and head for bed as well, I thought as I sat down on the cold surface of my cot.