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     Valadhiel woke to the sound of dwarves whispering. She heard them, and even heard snickers and chuckles, but she didn't open her eyes just yet. She was still tired, and whatever she was leaning on was warm and softer than the dungeon floor.

     After a moment, she remembered that she ended up falling asleep on Thorin last night. She opened her eyes and looked up. Yes, her head was resting on Thorin's chest, as was one of her hands.

     "Does Thorin make a nice pillow, lass?" Bofur asked after a moment, smirking over at her.

     Valadhiel flinched and tried to sit up, though Thorin's arms tightened around her when she attempted to move. She bit her lower lip. He needed his rest and she didn't want to wake him, so she supposed she would have to remain trapped in his arms. "He does, actually. He's much softer than the dungeon floor." She replied, loud enough for the others to hear, though quiet enough so that Thorin wouldn't wake.

     "So, what exactly happened last night?" Kili asked, raising a brow at the elf.

     "I had a nightmare, Thorin comforted me, and I fell asleep." Valadhiel replied, shooting Kili a look.

     "If you say so." Kili replied, sitting back and shooting a mischievous look Valadhiel's way.

     Valadhiel rolled her eyes. "We were just talking."

     "Just talking?" Fili asked with a smirk.

     "Do you like him?" Ori asked with a grin.

     "You were cuddling, too, by the looks of it." Kili pointed out, still grinning mischievously.

     Valadhiel blushed slightly, though she narrowed her eyes at Kili and Fili. "I must have fallen asleep."

     "Right." Both Kili and Fili said, stretching the word out.

     "Kili, Fili, stop being inappropriate." Thorin said, opening his eyes and looking over at his nephew with a raised brow before he looked at Valadhiel, gently releasing her so she wouldn't be trapped against him anymore.

     Valadhiel chuckled a little at Kili and Fili when they looked startled, then she sat up and stretched her arms, wings, and legs. She looked up when she heard someone nearing her cell, then stood when she saw Legolas. "What brings you down here?"

     Legolas looked at Valadhiel, then he sat down on a step next to the cell. "I came to let you know that a friend of yours is hiding in these halls." He replied. "He said his name is Bilbo, and that he is going to free you as soon as he finds a way out. As for the way out, I believe I know of a way."

     Thorin had looked away from the elf in a grouchy manner at first, but when he mentioned Bilbo and said that he knew of a way out, he looked over at the elf with interest.

     Valadhiel grinned. "I knew he was here." She murmured after she looked up at the dungeon stairs, then she looked at Legolas again. "How? And if you know of a way to get us out, will you show Bilbo?"

     Legolas nodded. "Of course. As you know, last night was the Feast Of Starlight. Many of the elves got pretty drunk last night, even the guards in the wine barrel room. The barrels are sent to Laketown, and there is a lever that will send them into the river. That will be your way out. This was Bilbo's plan, not mine, so he will be the one coming to get you out."

     Valadhiel nodded. "So he should be down here soon. And I would say that it is almost sunrise, correct?" 

     "Yes. It will be sunrise fairly soon."

     Thorin looked at Legolas suspiciously. "Are you not Thranduil's son?"

     Legolas looked at Thorin. "I am."

     "Then why do you offer us your help in escaping?"

     Legolas smiled. "My father isn't always right simply because he's the king." He replied, then he looked at Valadhiel before he continued. "And I will not sit by and do nothing while a dear friend sits in a dungeon awaiting my father's judgement."

     Thorin narrowed his eyes on Legolas for a moment, then he crossed his arms and looked away from both him and Valadhiel. "You two have known each other for awhile?"

     Valadhiel smiled over at Legolas before she looked at Thorin. "Yes, we have known each other for a long while, indeed."

     "She lived here for a short while, before she was banished." Legolas added.

     Valadhiel looked down a little when Legolas mentioned the fact that she had been banished, biting her lower lip a little. Legolas didn't seem to have any problem with her despite what had happened, and she didn't quite understand it.

     Legolas smiled, reached a hand through the bars, and placed a hand over top Valadhiel's hand. "What happened back then was not your fault, Vala. Remember that."

     Valadhiel gave Legolas a small smile. "I still do not understand how you're so forgiving toward me, but thank you, Legolas."

     "What exactly did happen, lass?" Bofur asked after a moment.

     Valadhiel looked over at Bofur, then glanced at Legolas and Thorin before she gave a short story of what had happened to get her banished. They deserved to know, after all, as she was traveling with them, and they had all gotten to know each other pretty well over the period of time they had spent with each other.

     "My father banished her after the incident." Legolas said after Valadhiel finished her story. "And he greatly dislikes dragons and skinchangers, claiming that all of them are evil."

     Thorin subtly slipped his hand into Valadhiel's after she told the story, as he knew how much that part of her past hurt her.

     "That's just ridiculous!" Bofur exclaimed. "Vala may have a temper on her, and may be a rather feisty lass, but she is also one of the kindest and most selfless souls out there."

     After Bofur spoke, all of the other dwarves gave an, "aye", and some continued to mention the good things about Valadhiel, such as what made her special, and what made her likable.

     "I know." Legolas replied, giving Valadhiel another smile. After noticing Thorin was holding her hand, he glanced away from them before he spoke again. "I should be leaving now. Father wanted to speak with me, so I shouldn't delay, otherwise he will send guards to come find me. If I'm caught talking to Valadhiel, I will get more than an earful from him."

     Valadhiel chuckled. "I can imagine. You best be leaving, then."

     Legolas smiled at her before he got to his feet. "Namárië, mellon nin. I hope we meet again one day soon." [Farewell, my friend.]

     "I get the feeling we will." The she-elf replied, smiling up at the elven prince. "Perhaps not within only a few years, but one day soon, we will meet again."

     Legolas looked at the short elf, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "Are you able to foresee the future as well?" He teased her.

     "It's called a gut feeling." Valadhiel playfully shot back, rolling her eyes in feigned annoyance.

     "Like animal instinct?" Legolas questioned, giving her a small smirk.

     Valadhiel narrowed her eyes. "That's not even funny, elfling."

     "No offense, lass, but it is a little." Bofur called over to her, causing some of the other dwarves to laugh.

     Valadhiel crossed her arms and gave a small huff. "But I'm not an animal." She protested in a whining tone of voice, though she couldn't hold back a laugh.

     Legolas laughed softly, then he looked at Valadhiel with a subtle smile, his blue eyes twinkling. "Farewell, Vala. Until we meet again."

     Valadhiel looked up at Legolas after he spoke, then her heart skipped a beat at his soft tone of voice, and she felt herself grow hot when she noticed the look of fondness that he gave her. However, she ignored the strange feelings and smiled at Legolas before dipping her head. "Farewell, Legolas. May the Valar bless you through all of life's journeys."

     Legolas gave Valadhiel a bow in return before he turned and left, not making a single sound as he walked lightly up the dungeon stairs.

     Valadhiel watched Legolas until he was gone, then she sighed softly. Upon feeling eyes on her, she looked around at Thorin and all the other dwarves. "Is something wrong?"

     "That Legolas sure seems to like you, is all." Dwalin commented nonchalantly, leaning back against the dungeon wall.

     Valadhiel glanced away after Dwalin spoke before she gave her wings a casual shrug. "I don't know what you mean."

     Balin raised his brow. "You are typically fairly observant. Do you really think we'll believe that you don't know what he means?"

     "Prince Legolas and I are just friends." The skin-changing elf replied, avoiding eye contact with Thorin, who stared at her silently. For some reason, it was making her rather uncomfortable at the moment, and she almost felt bad.

     Thorin looked over at the others. "If she says they are just friends, then they are just friends. Leave her be." He ordered. Saying such things when Valadhiel denied it time and again wasn't a smart move. They would simply manage to anger a skin-changing elvish dragon- who was also part angel.

     Valadhiel looked over at Thorin and gave him a grateful smile, then began staring off into space when the other dwarves had quieted down. Soon, they began talking amongst themselves, and even came up with some sort of game since they were bored.

     Thorin was getting tired of the silence between him and Valadhiel, so since the others weren't paying attention to any conversation going on outside of their own cells, he looked over at Valadhiel and began a conversation. "Did you mean it when you said that you and Legolas are just friends?"

     Valadhiel looked over at Thorin, then she nodded. "Yes. That's all we've ever been. Besides, even if we did love each other in that way, we would not be able to be together. His father hates me, if you hadn't noticed."

     Thorin chuckled a little. "Knowing how you are, you would find some way."

     Valadhiel raised one eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean, dwarf?" She asked, though put playful emphasis on 'dwarf'.

     "That is supposed to mean that you would most likely try to find a way to make it happen anyways." Thorin replied, smirking at her. "You are a sucker for forbidden love, it seems, considering that your favorite story is the one of Beren and Lúthien."

     Valadhiel rolled her eyes a little, then she chuckled. "You make a good point."

     "Don't forget that story about Nahor and Eleniel." Gloin called over to them.

     "Ah, yes, that as well." Thorin nodded, looking at Gloin before he looked at Valadhiel again, crossing his arms as he continued to give her a playful look of sorts.

     Ori watched them all in amusement as they teased Valadhiel, then he looked up after a moment before sighing. "We're never going to reach the mountain in time, are we?"

     "Not stuck in here, you're not!"

     Valadhiel had been about to tell Ori to not get discouraged and that Bilbo would no doubt be here soon, though the familiar voice of the halfling beat her to it. She smiled and got to her feet with Thorin's help as she watched the hobbit begin to unlock all of the cell doors, starting with Thorin and Valadhiel.

     "The stairs." Dori said. "You first. Ori."

     "Not that way; down here." Bilbo told them in a quiet tone. "Follow me." He added before he began leading them away from the dungeon. Every so often he gestured for them to stop, or he would put a finger to his mouth to let them know they needed to be quieter. The elves had keen ears, after all.

     Valadhiel followed after Bilbo, keeping next to Thorin, as they quietly made their way along. Every now and then Bilbo told them to follow him, or told them to go a certain way, or he would pause and quietly shush them. The elven dragon looked around when she recognized some of the places, and she furrowed her brow.

     "I don't believe it. We're in the cellars!" Kili said, looking back at Bilbo with a confused expression.

     "I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo told them when they began to try an argue with him. "Follow me." He led them into a room with a lot of barrels, and shortly after they had all gotten in there, an elf's voice came from the other room. "Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!"

     "Are you mad?" Dwalin cried out, though not loudly. "They'll find us!"

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

     "Do as he says."

     Everyone, Valadhiel included, looked at Thorin when he told them to do as Bilbo told them to. Valadhiel wasn't shocked like the others, however, but was rather pleased that Thorin now seemed to trust Bilbo as much as he trusted his own men. He had truly accepted him as a member of  the Company by now.

She was also amazed that the dwarves had forgotten about the plan Legolas mentioned. Had they even been listening?

     The dwarves all climbed into the barrels, then they looked at Bilbo, waiting to be told what to do next. Valadhiel climbed into a barrel as well, folding her wings in as tightly as she could so that she would fit. Once inside, she looked up at Bilbo.

     "What do we do now?" Bofur asked.

     "Hold your breath." Bilbo replied as he grabbed a lever protruding from the floor.

     "Hold my breath? What do you mean?"

     Valadhiel's eyes widened a little and she immediately sucked in a breath. She wasn't fond of water at all, but if this meant getting out of here, she was willing to put up with it. Soon, the lever was pulled, and the barrels rolled off of a ramp and into a river.

     Once in the water, Valadhiel opened her eyes, and once her head was above water, she drew in a breath and looked up. She noticed that Bilbo was still up there, then she furrowed her brow. He must have forgotten to think about how he himself would get out of there. She had been about to tell Bilbo about an idea she had, but before she could, he got himself out into the water and managed to grab onto another barrel.

     "Well done, Master Baggins." Thorin said, seeming to truly be impressed with the halfling's escape plan.

     Bilbo waved a hand in thanks and said, "Go." It seemed that he was trying to catch his breath, and perhaps summon some more courage.

     The dwarves paddled with their hands down the river, and Valadhiel helped Bilbo into her own barrel. She had insisted that, if need be, she would be just fine shifting into an animal form and swimming. Soon, they emerged into sunlight, and Valadhiel felt her heart sink when she heard a waterfall.

     "Hold on!" Thorin shouted above the noise.

     Valadhiel squeezed her eyes shut before they fell over the side of the waterfall, and she refused to open them until she knew they were at the bottom. She looked around once they were down, holding her breath every so often. They were nearing a gate by this time, but before they reached it, a horn sounded and the gate closed.

     "No!" Thorin shouted, frustrated, just as everyone else was.

     Valadhiel furrowed her brow and gave a small huff, then she looked at an elf when an arrow plunged through him. Her eyes widened when she saw some orcs begin to attack.

     "Watch out! Those are orcs!" Bofur called out to them.

     Valadhiel looked around for anything that could be used as for a weapon, though she found nothing. The only weapon she had would be her shifting abilities, along with her abilities to manipulate fire. However, how well would she be able to use it with all of the water around?

     She was snapped out of her thoughts when she spotted an orc she knew very well. Azog's son, Bolg. She clenched her teeth and her fists when he commanded that they all be slain save for her.

     The orcs began throwing themselves onto the barrels, and one managed to grab Valadhiel, jostling Bilbo. The female elf quickly got to her feet and threw one of the orcs off of her, then she lifted a palm and attempted to create a ball of flame, though she had no luck. Not with all of the water.

     Bilbo grabbed Sting and stabbed the orc that had attacked Valadhiel, killing it quickly. When Vala gave a grateful nod, he returned the nod and kept an eye out on the other orcs, making sure that any one that got near them either got cut or killed.

     Valadhiel watched when Legolas came running out, bow in hand, and began shooting the orcs. He glanced at Valadhiel and the others, then he focused on the orcs, slaying many of them with some other elves, Tauriel included.

     One particular orc made its way toward Legolas when he was distracted and was about to swing its sword at him, though Valadhiel's eyes widened and all senses went on high alert. Without even thinking, she threw her palms out, and soon, the orc stood frozen.

     Legolas whirled around and looked at the orc, then he furrowed his brow and looked at Valadhiel. Since when could she coat creatures in ice? After earning a shrug from the equally confused elleth, he continued fighting off the remaining orcs, managing to subtly open the gate as he did so.

     Valadhiel mouthed a thank you to the elven prince before they floated out into calmer waters. As they traveled, she looked around at the other dwarves, counting them all, and she made sure that Bilbo was there with them. "Well, that was quite the escape."

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