Beastly || Legolas

twenty three

"What are you doing Bilbo?" A voice whispered in the dark. The hobbit jumped with a little yelp of surprise and whirled around to see Namir looming over him. The skin-changer's face was lit up with a amused smirk and his cat eyes seemed to glow slightly in the moonlight. 

"Namir, oh my word. You scared me", Bilbo breathed out in relief. "Where have you been? No one has seen you in days". Namir shrugged and waved his hand in a so-so manner. Bilbo narrowed his eyes suspiciously upon seeing the bags slung over his shoulders. Namir had not arrived with any luggage and now he had three heavy looking sacks over his back. "What have you got there? What are you up to?" 

"Nothing much", Namir blew his hair out of his face and smiled slightly sharply. "What are you doing out here at this time of night? Being sneaky little hobbit?" The battlements over the gate of Erebor was dark and silent. The only light coming from the full moon above. Namir had been surprised to catch Bilbo sneaking out and his curiosity has been peaked. 

"I'm going to warn Bard about Thorin", Bilbo whispered. "He's not himself and the dwarves cannot have a war". 

Namir was looking around. "No one is on watch. Why?" 

"They are still searching for the Arken stone", Bilbo sighed. 

"They have not yet found it?" 

"No, though it would probably make things worse. I saw it once, back when I was trying to steal it. But Smaug knocked it flying and I lost it. I hope they never find it". 

Namir hummed and leapt agilely onto the stone wall. He balanced on the edge before beginning to climb down. "I was heading to Dale anyway. You can come along".  Bilbo hurriedly tied the rope he had brought and began to climb after him. The man waiting quietly at the bottom for the hobbit to climb across the rubble of the destroyed bridge and meet him on the road. 

"What's in the bags?" Bilbo asked as they began walking for the ruins of dale. Distantly they could see the soft glow of campfires and the occasional glint of metal off golden elf armour. 

"Gold". 

Bilbo stopped and gaped. "Wait, You stole from Thorin?" 

Namir nodded calmly. "They have so much gold, I doubt they are going to notice one bag missing. It's enough for the people of Laketown to live off of and the other bag is a courting gift for Legolas". 

"But I thought they were your friends. Why steal?" Bilbo jogged to catch up with the longer legged man. 

"They are my friends", Namir nodded. "Which is why I am stealing from them". Bilbo frowned, completely confused by the skin-changer's logic. Namir paused to give them a second of silence. There was no sound but the rustle of their clothes and the slight clinking of his bags as they walked. "I don't want a war. So I am giving the men of Laketown the gold they are owed and the elves their gems. If Thorin wants to curse me for it, he can but it will save their lives". 

"That's remarkably Noble of you", Bilbo remarked. "But aren't you afraid of what Thorin may do when he finds out?" 

Namir shrugged. "I am not his subject. He holds no command over me and we Skin-changers are tough. Beorn has fought whole armies before, we do not fear the dwarves". Over their head, a light snow began to fall. 

They reached Dale and slipped through the guards easily. It was not hard for Namir to find Bard. He simply followed the man's scent through the now bustling ruins. Elf soldiers marched through the streets and the survivors of Laketown had taken refuge in any building that could still offer shelter. They passed many small campfires and huddled families. As they reached the centre of the ruined city, the scent grew stringer and a second familiar one joined it.