The Navigator

The Mirkwood Dungeons

"This is not the end of it! Do you hear me?!"

"Hey, let us out of here!"

"Get off me!" Vistial quietly allows herself to be thrown into a cell. She turns around and watches as the others are thrown into cells around her. She watches as an elf finds one more of Fili's knifes hidden in his coat before shoving him into the cell. She sits down as the dwarves throw themselves against the cell doors.

"Leave it! There's no way out! This is no orc dungeon. These are the Halls of the Woodland Realm. No one leaves here but by the king's consent." Balin says. The room fills with silence as the dwarves sit back with a huff.

"Vis, are you alright?" Fili calls to the girl.

"What did that elf mean by árskífith?" Dwalin asks.

"It was an...insult. An árskífith is a...a mixed-blood." Vistial replies with tears in her eyes.

"Lass, I'm sorry." Bofur says. Vistial looks down at the floor as a tear escapes, sliding down her cheek.

"Vistial, we don't care what you are or who your parents were. We love you for you. We wouldn't change you for anything." Fili says. The other dwarves murmur in agreement. Vistial looks up at Fili and smiles. Thorin appears and is thrown into Vistial's cell.

"Did he offer you a deal?" Balin asks.

"He did. I told him he could go sh kakhf ai-'d dr-rugnu! Him and all his kin!" Thorin retorts.

"Well, that's that, then. A deal was our only hope." Balin sighs.

"Not our only hope." Thorin turns toward the inside of the cell and spots Vistial, who looked up at him with teary eyes. "Are you alright?" The girl nods before returning to her curled-up position. Thorin looks at the others for an explanation.

"She told us the meaning to árskífith. It was an insult to her origin." Dwalin answers.

"Oh." Thorin turns to the girl, who knew Thorin was looking at her, but didn't look up. She looks up in surprise as he kneels next to her. Thorin reaches out and brushes a stray tear away.

"Vistial, you have proven yourself many times over. You needn't worry about what that elf said. You're part of this Company, no matter your origin." Thorin smiles at the girl, who smiles back. The two look up in surprise when the sound of keys opening a door reach their ears. They turn to the cell door, which swings open. The elf looks at the two before turning to the guards.

"Bring the girl. Thrandiul wishes to have an audience with her." Vistial scrambles back as the two guards walk into the cell. Thorin puts himself in front of her, but one of the guards shoves him out of the way. Vistial screeches as the other guard grabs her and roughly yanks her out of the cell. The dwarves burst out in anger.

"Let her go!"

"Leave her be!"

"Get your hands off her!"

"Don't hurt her!" Vistial looks back at Thorin with scared eyes as she pulled away.

~~ ~~ ~~

"So, you are the árskífith that Anadia birthed so long ago." Vistial shifts on her feet as Thrandiul examines her like a rare deer he simply found in the forest. "Such a shame that your mother had to be exiled."

"You have no right to speak of her!" Vistial retorts, straining in the chains that held her hands tight.

"Feisty." Thrandiul chuckles. "I can see some of Anadia's traits were passed down. Tell me..." Vistial matches Thrandiul's fierce gaze as he leans toward her. "...why are you traveling with Thorin Oakenshield?"

"That is no business of yours." She replies calmly. Thrandiul stands up straight, and turns toward the blonde elf from earlier. Vistial hadn't realized that he had entered. "Legolas, do you remember the legends of human-elf half-breeds?"

"Yes, my lord. Why do you bring this up?" Legolas replies.

"I was just curious if you believe they are real." Thrandiul says, turning his eyes to Vistial. Fear grips her as she realizes what he was saying. "Could a human-elf really have the powers of a skin-changer? And if so, what form does she take?" Thrandiul approaches Vistial once more, running a hand along her face. "Such a beautiful face could be so dangerous." He smiles. An elf suddenly appears, panting from his run.

"What is it now?" Thrandiul turns to the elf.

"My lord, the dwarves. They've escaped."

"What?!" Vistial didn't wait. As quickly as she could, she unlocks her chains with the hairpin she had hidden in her sleeve and runs toward the edge of the platform. She jumps.

"NO!" Vistial could hear the elven king's cry as gravity pulls her down. Vistial shifts and flings her wings open, slowing her fall. Shifting back as she hits the ground, she looks up at the place she jumped from. Thrandiul was looking down at her in awe. She doesn't waste any time waiting for his reaction. She bolts deep into the Mirkwood halls as the guards pursue after her.