Bard of Laketown

Part Thirty-Nine

A/N: I KNOW THIS IS LONG OVERDUE AND I'M REALLY SORRY!! I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WATCHING DOCTOR WHO LATELY!! WHOOPSIE! -Natasha

PART THIRTY-NINE

I don't realize I've fallen asleep until I feel cold metal against the back of my neck and jolt awake. I turn around to find Fili, prodding me with his sword. "Fili!" I make sure to keep my voice down. I don't want the other prisoners to hear.

He smiles at me. "Sorry I couldn't come looking for you sooner," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something else came up."
"It's alright," I say. "At least you came. And found me."
"How do I get you out of there?" He asks.

"Go around and see if there's any other way to get in first," I say. "If there is, you need to get the keys. There's a heavy wooden door that opens to stone steps, but you can't get in unless you have the key."

He nods, his brow furrowed. "How exactly am I going to get the key?" He asks me sheepishly.
"It's inside the coat pocket of a man named Alfrid. Greasy black hair, hunched back..."
"I've seen him before. He came to see us off before the rest left for the mountain."

"He's untrustworthy," I say. "Don't believe a word he says."
Fili reaches for my hand in between the bars and grips tightly. "I will get you out of here, Areya," he says.

"Thank you, Fili." I squeeze his hand.
He smiles at me, his eyes crinkling, then stands up and walks away. His heavy boots splash drops of melting snow through the window of my cell.
Here's hoping that he can get me out of here.

After what seems like hours, but in reality is only about 30 minutes, I hear Fili's steel toed boots clomping down the stairs. Grümbold is passed out drunk on the floor, and doesn't stir as the dwarf walks past him.
I stand up and walk to the door of my cell, gripping the cold rusty bars tightly.

Fili pulls out the ring of brass keys and selects one of the keys in the middle. It doesn't fit in the lock. His eyes meet mine and he grimaces. "This might take longer than I thought," he mutters.
"Oi, so you're finally here then?"

We turn to see Daneya peering through the bars.
"Who's this, then?" Fili asks.
"This is Daneya. She's Bard's sister," I say.
"Ah. So are you going to help us find-"
I shove my elbow into Fili's ribs and he gasps for air. I smile at Daneya, but her expression shows that she does not believe me.

"Help you find what?" She asks us, looking from me to Fili.
Fili's eyes widen for a mere second, and then he clears his throat. "My kin are journeying to the Lonely Mountain as we speak," he says.

"Pray, what is your name?" Daneya asks Fili.
"Fili, of the line of Durin."
"Then you are related to Thorin Oakenshield?"
"Yes lady, he is my uncle."
She frowns. "I have not seen nor heard anything of Thorin for many years."

Fili finds the right key and fits it into the rusty lock. My cell door creaks open loudly. The other prisoners are watching us hopefully. "Get us out too, dwarf!" A wizened old man croaks out from a cell in the corner.
"I cannot." Fili's tone is blunt, but all the prisoners begin yelling at us, their voices cracking and lips splitting from disuse.

I breathe deeply and walk out of the cell. "Fili, the key for Daneya's cell. We need it now."
Fili's strong fingers are shaking as he tries key after key. In the corner, Grümbold grunts loudly. I hover helplessly behind Fili, clenching my hands into fists.

Fili finds a copper key and slides it into the lock, a perfect fit. Daneya rushes to the cell door and pushes it open. Her eyes crinkle into a smile. "Thank you, Areya, Master Fili."
We run silently to the steps and hurry up them. Daneya is soon out of breath from being cramped in her cell, but we reach the door of the Master's house.

It opens with a loud creak, and we all hold our breath, waiting for somebody to find us. When nobody comes, we rush down the stairs and down the docks where the boats are kept. We need to find Bard now.

I turn to Fili and grasp his hand tightly.
"Cormlle naa tanya tel'raa."
He smiles. "What does that mean?"
I tell him, and his eyes shine. "Thank you, my friend."

TRANSLATIONS
Cormlle naa tanya tel'raa- You have the heart of a lion