Of The Sun (The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings/LOTR)

Pt. 1 - Chapter 19 - Barrel Ride

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise." Bofur said after a long while later sat in the dark. "Must be nearly dawn."

"We're never gonna reach the mountain, are we?" Ori asked.

"Not stuck in here you're not." A new voice came that had each of them sitting up a little straighter.

"Bilbo!" Balin exclaimed as the hobbit held up the keys.

"What?" Came Kili's voice unable to see.

"Shh. There are guards nearby." Bilbo hushed them while he began to let Thorin out first.

He came to Fili and and Ana's cage and when he opened the door the elf smiled broadly at him and placed a kiss on his cheek that he blushed ever so slightly at as the dwarf smiled and patted him on the back.

Once they were all out they began to follow Bilbo. They had all been stripped of any armour or heavy clothing and wore trousers and over shirts that were nearly dragging on the ground. They had thankfully been allowed to keep their boots, but it was lucky they were so close to the end of their journey or else they wouldn't have gotten far. Ana hoped they could find armour and weapons in Lake Town though or along the way perhaps in their escape now because entering a dragons lair without was not on her do to list. Anariel hadn't lost anything more than her cloak which she regretted not taking as Legolas had escorted her out. It had been one of her mother's, made by her in fact but it was a small enough loss given their predicament and of course her weapons would be more bitterly missed. She could make do with any sharp blade but the bows of Lothlorien were superior to any other in Middle Earth and another of its like would be impossible to find in this land.

Down and down they went layer after layer until they finally reached an end. An empty storage room with rows and rows of empty barrels ready to be transported back to lake town where they came from.

"I don't believe it. We're in the cellars." Kili said.

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in." Thorin said to Bilbo.

"I know what I'm doing. This way." He ushered. "Everyone climb into the barrels quickly."

"Are you mad?" Dwalin asked."They'll find us."

"No, no. They won't. I promise they won't. Please, please... you must trust me." Bilbo begged.

"Do as he says." Thorin ordered and the dwarves, some more hesitant than others began to climb into the empty barrels. Anariel remained where she stood, eyeing the room suspiciously. She looked to the wooden floor that was of a different make of the surrounding flooring, the lever to the side and the way the barrels were stacked, ready to roll. Mirkwood had a lot of trade with Lake town and what was the one thing that ran between the two places... a river.

"This is a shoot, isn't it?" She asked the hobbit and he nodded and offered her to get in one.

"No. I'm good. I'll make do without a barrel" She said and Bilbo narrowed his eyes at her, knowing this was some kind of elven pride. He walked along and counted each of them as Anariel moved by the barrels.

"What do we do now?" Bufor asked and thirteen heads popped out of the barrels inquisitively.

"Hold your breath."

"Hold my breath?""

Bilbo pulled the leaver and the barrels dropped, Ana skidding along beside them and down like riding a wave on a surf board. She leapt off the final inch of the tilted timber floor and onto the rocks either side of the water passage. For a split second she regretted her pride in refusing a barrel as she was falling into an unknown area and the rocks did not look pleasant but she managed a graceful landing and stood as if no doubt had struck her, smiling to herself. They sat waiting for a moment before Bilbo slid down into the water from the trap door after them.