The Hobbit | The Lost Bender {Book 1}

29 | The scent of freedom

{Myrna POV}

I opened my eyes to see what all the ruckus in the cell was about.
Dwarfs were pressing themselves against the iron doors, trying to see something that must be interesting.

"Shhh! There are guards nearby!" I knew that voice. When I saw a head with curly chestnut hair, the reason for all the noise hit me.

The sounds of prison doors being unlocked echoed through the prison. The Dwarfs started to leak out of their cells, all waiting for the rest to be freed.
I was the final person to get out. I walked up to Bilbo, clearing my throat to get his attention.

"Hey, Mr Baggins, could you please be so kind to..." I showed him my shackles. "Of course, miss Myrna." He clicked them open with the key and I smiled thankfully.

Red rashes covered my hurting wrists. I spotted Rigmor next to Taeryn, she spoke to the girl in a comforting tone.

"The Hobbit that freed us, his name is Bilbo. Trust him." she whispered, looking towards the Halfling with more love than she had ever looked at anyone. I smiled, since I knew she simply had to confess to him later.

"Are you sure we should get those two people with us? They only make us slower." I gritted my teeth as I heard Thorin's voice questioning Balin.

I spun around, a deep frown on my face.
"Yes. They should come with us. They are our friends."
All the Dwarfs were freed and we were ready to go.

"The stairs. You first. Ori!" a Dwarf hissed from within the group."

"Not that way, down here. Follow me." Bilbo said, beckoning us to come after him.

We were lead through the Woodland Realm's halls, looking out for any guards who might get in the way. "This way."

We walked down some narrow stairs, Kili in front of me growing impatient. "I don't believe it, we're in the cellars!"

A few Dwarfs muttered in agreement. "You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur whispered annoyed.
"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo defended himself, leading us towards a large room.

Barrels were stacked on top of each other, the smell of wine lingering in the air. The wooden cylinders were all open on one end. From above us, the yell of an Elf could be heard. They had noticed we were missing.

"Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!"
"Are you mad?! They'll find us!" Dwalin barked.

Bilbo put up a defensive hand.
"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you must trust me!"

A couple of them obeyed, others hesitated a bit longer, doubting the Hobbits promise.
"Do as he says!" Thorin instructed, ordering his men as he climbed into one of the casks.

"What do we do now?" I watched Bilbo as he walked towards a lever.

"Hold your breath." he said, wrapping his small hands around it.
"Hold my breath? What do you mean?"

He pulled the lever and the barrels suddenly tumbled down.
I screamed from the top of my lungs as we fell, rolling down a ramp, suddenly surrounded by ice-cold water.

My muscles tensed up, almost paralyzed by the unannounced contact with the liquid. The barrel pushed me up to the surface.
Around me, Dwarfs were coughing out their lungs, spitting out water since they had almost choked on it.

"Well done, Master Baggins."

My eye fell on Bilbo, who was spluttering something while swimming towards a barrel.
"Come on, let's go!"

We paddled with our hands, my fingers starting to hurt from the cold, the river slightly taking us with it.
Elves surrounded us from both sides: they had caught us.

Legolas shouted something in Elvish, one of his servants blowing on a horn.
As we turned the corner, another Elf was shutting the gate in front of us.

"No!" Thorin exclaimed angrily. My barrel bumped into Balin's, who sent me a look of sorrow.
"This is really it, then." I whispered as one a few of the tall men drew his sword.

The sound of a dry thud was heard, the Elf with the weapon in his hand collapsed to the ground.

All of a sudden, Orcs swarmed over the place, starting to shoot at the Elves and us.

"Watch out! Those are Orcs!" Bofur yelled, earning a sigh from me.
"No shit." The monsters started to throw themselves onto us.
Luckily, Bilbo managed to kill one with his sword, Dwalin able to grab one of the weapons a dead enemy dropped.

"Kili!" With an elegant movement, he pitched it to Kili, who caught it gracefully. They climbed out of their casks, heading for the lever. I bit my nails, feeling more defenceless than ever as the duo started slaying some oncoming monsters.

The youngest Oakenshield managed to open the gate. An arrow whirred through the sky, burying itself in his calf.

"Kili!" I heard Fili cry out. From behind the brunet Dwarf, an Orc charged an attack to end his life, but just when I wanted to warn him, another arrow flew, hitting the Orc in the head. that's when I saw her.

Tauriel, and she seemed concerned. Orcs surrounded her and she killed them swiftly, her skill in battle showing. Next to me, I heard the sound of feet on wood.

Kili groaned in pain whilst he grabbed the edge of his barrel, half of the arrow still sticking in his leg. We drifted towards a waterfall at high speed, the Orcs hot on our heels. The paddling of our hands was rather useless, the river too wild to tame its stream.

The river narrowed and I swallowed thickly, seeing the gathering Orcs from both sides lining up their arrows. Some of the Dwarfs had managed to grab some weapons from corpses laying around, but I didn't see anything of use.

"Here!" I caught a bow and it's quiver just in time, half of the arrows falling into the water behind me.

"Myrna!" I heard Rigmor yell. As I whirred my head around, the Orc was about to release his bowstring. I gasped, cowering into my barrel to protect myself. However, the sharp projectile never reached my barrel.

"Come out!" I followed Balin's order and poked my head out, seeing Legolas fighting the Orc which had been about to kill me.

I blew a strand of hair from my face, eyeing the handsome prince's moves.
"Pay attention! Shoot!" Rigmor barked, shooting an Orc in the skull. I did as she told me, grabbed an arrow and lined up.

It hit the Orc Legolas was slaying in the shoulder, making it yelp.
With a movement of his arm, the Elven prince beheaded him.
We made eye-contact for a split second, earning a grin from him.

I smirked, but it soon fell as I heard Rigmor curse.

"Fuck! I'm out of arrows!"

I reached out for my quiver and my stomach spun around.
"I'm out, too..."

Panicking, we stared at each other. Rigmor swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath. "I think there is just one thing left to do..."

She hoisted herself upon the edges of the wavering barrel, standing wobbly on her feet.
"Rigmor no...! Remember what Gandalf said!"

She looked at me, her eyes filled with determination.

"We can't hide it for much longer, can we? We had to tell them, eventually."

With that, her muscles tensed.