The Sisters [A Hobbit Fanfiction]

Chapter 32

Everything was going according to plan. Nora had gone with the dwarves, Bilbo, and Sarabelle to take care of the guards before rejoining the girls. In the end, Runa had refused to share too much detail on the plan itself, merely stating that they’d need disguises.

So it was that Aelith and Avice found themselves in a random bedroom staring into a closet of elven dresses.

“No.”

“Ah but Avice why not?! You’ll look so pretty!” Runa teased, nudging her annoyed friend.

“I don’t wear dresses.”

“Well there’s always a first,” said Runa, before beginning to go through the closet with Nienna.

Aelith, catching a pale green dress that was thrown at her, held it up critically.

“There’s no way this is going to fit me. It’s five inches too long…”

“That’s not a problem,” Runa responded cheerfully, her head still in the closet. “Nora knows a spell.”

“Of course she does…” Aelith sighed before moving to change. Before she could start, Avice grabbed her forearm.

“You’re seriously going along with this?” she asked in disbelief.

“Well yeah,” Aelith shrugged. “It’s actually a pretty good plan…” Avice groaned, closing her eyes. A split second later, she was hit in the face by a wad of silvery material.

“It’ll match your mask!” Nienna called over her shoulder happily. Avice let out a sigh of annoyance, but fingered the material wistfully when she thought no one was watching before beginning to change.

Just then the door opened.

“Ah Nora, finally,” began Runa as she turned to her friend.

She and all the other girls froze. It wasn’t Nora…

Silvia was staring at the girls in shock. Before any of the escapees could react, she quickly came all the way into the room closing the doors behind her and locking it.

“There, now we won’t be interrupted,” she said before smiling at everyone. Aelith frowned at her.

“Wait… you’re not turning us in?”

“Oh goodness me, no!” Silvia laughed. “King Thranduil, though I respect him, didn’t really have a reason to imprison you other than you were traveling with dwarves. Technically you were trespassing, but it wasn’t intentional and it isn’t really your fault that that Thorin fellow has as much tact as an orc.”

“Oh…” was all Aelith could think of.

“So, you’re escaping then?” asked Silvia excitedly. “How?”

“How can we trust you?” Avice cut in before anyone else could respond. Silvia sighed,

“Look, I could be convicted of treason if I was caught helping you, but I’m still risking it. Isn’t that enough proof?”

“No. You could be a spy,” Avice insisted. Silvia actually rolled her eyes at that.

“Really? An entire army of soldiers and Thranduil’s going to use a spy? Not really his style.”

“That’s true,” agreed Runa, scrunching up her nose. “He’s a bit of a diva, isn’t he?” Silvia laughed, but Nienna looked at Runa suspiciously.

“And how would you know?” she asked and, to everyone’s surprise, Runa’s cheeks tinged slightly red.

Fortunately for her, she was saved by the door lighting on fire. Silvia screamed, running to join them across the room to put some distance between her and the flaming door. Oddly enough, nothing else caught fire -- just the door.