A Tale of Time

Chapter 15: The Escape

Chapter 15: The Escape

The celebrations of the Starlight festival must be on their way of ending. They have little in the way of knowing the position of the sun, only that their meals are given at the same time each day. The jubilant atmosphere the company had managed to create through the night grew weary and now they lie in their cells, drowning in sorrows.

Gailien has seen them escape – going down the river in barrels but how they get to that point she has no idea. And Kili. The arrow in his leg. She must stop that somehow. The river rapids send a fling of fear through her, knowing that being caught in their waters is how her brother died but Gailien is a strong swimmer, only cumbered by her own mentality. That seems to be a common problem that she faces. Her own mind.

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise," Bofur muses solemnly. "Must be nearly dawn."

"We're ever goa reach the mountain, are we?" Ori moans. Gailien lies on her back, staring at the ceiling trying to make the time go faster by purely willing it to.

Bilbo Baggins, their burglar Hobbit with a habit of getting out of sticky situations, has been spending the last few days tracking the Dwarves down, then finding a way out. Now, with a plan in motion, he arrives at the cells with the ring neatly tucked into his pocket. "Not stuck in here you're not," he says, announcing his presence. He pulls the guards keys – which he stole while they sleep off the wine – from his coat.

"Bilbo!" Balin cries. Thorin pushes off the back of his cell wall, scrambling to the front as Bilbo stands outside his cell. He knew that Bilbo would come through, even though his hope started to dimmer. Gailien had assured him, when the Elves weren't present, that they would find a way out.

The Dwarves begin to cheer, and even Gailien is overcome with excitement but as the Dwarves' voices echo loudly, she scans the halls for any Elves. "Shh!" she hushes.

"There are guards nearby!" Bilbo adds in a hiss as he starts to unlock Thorin's cell, then moves onto Balin's. Gailien waits (not so patiently) for her own to be unlocked. Once it is, Gailien beams at the Hobbit.

"You are incredible Master Baggins," she announces. Bilbo gives her a sheepish smile before continuing on to the final few Dwarves below her. Gailien grins, patting Fili on the shoulder as he is released.

"I have something of yours," she says. Fili frowns for a moment but then expresses recognition as Gailien bends down into the side of her boots, pulling the dagger from it. "Don't lose it."

"You're amazing," he says, holding the blade close.

"I try," she quips.

The thirteen Dwarves and their companions are now huddled together in the middle of the prison area which presents them with their next problem. They will never escape by going out the front door but unless they wish to go further in, then up is their only option.

They all look quite the mess as well; spider webs still stuck in their hair, their outer layers stripped and circles under their eyes from the tire of not being able to do anything.

"What's that?" Kili questions.

"You first."

"Ori!"

They try to organise themselves, sticking to the rocks as though it will provide them with some cover. A few seconds of grace maybe. Bilbo though begins to lead them in another direction.

"Not that way," he hisses. "Down here, follow me!"

"Which way?" Bombur questions. Gailien flickers her eyes around, trying to determine what direction he is leading them to. She doesn't recall much about the layout of the kingdom besides the major chambers, but she trusts Bilbo, and apparently so do the other Dwarves.