Imryll POV

I rush up and down the halls of the Woodland-Realm searching for any signs of the Dwarves. So far I haven't had any luck. I need to find them, soon.

As I turn down yet another hallway I hear two Elves speaking in Elvish. They are talking about the Dwarves, they must be nearby.

I sneak by the two Elves and see another Elf, an Elleth, walking this way and hide behind a pillar. I look again and notice that there are cells along this hallway. The Dwarves are in the cells around where I am. The Elleth stops in front of one of the cells.

"The stone in your hand, what is it?" She asks the Dwarf that's in the cell. I can't tell who it is from here.

"It is a talisman. A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed." The Dwarf, Kili, says to her. I can see him show her a stone

The Elleth steps back slightly and begins to walk away, but stops when Kili speaks again.

"Or not, depending on whether you believe that kind of thing. It's just a token." He tells her. "A runestone. My mother gave it to me so I'd remember my promise."

"What promise?" She asks him.

"That I will come back to her." He answers. "She worries. She thinks I'm reckless."

"Are you?"

"Nah."

I hear something drop and see the stone roll out of his cell, but the Elleth stops it with her foot before it can roll into the deep pit that's outside of the cells. She picks it up and inspects it. I look back over at the cell and see Kili standing at the door. I hear laughter in the distance, I wonder what's going on.

"Sounds like quite a party you're having up there." Kili says to her.

"It is Mereth-en-Gilith, the Feast of Starlight. All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood Elves love best the light of the stars." She tells him, walking slightly away from him.

"I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away." He says, sadly.

She walks back towards Kili and says, "It is memory, precious and pure. Like your promise." She smiles and hands Kili back his stone. "I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fill the air."

"I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland, huge; red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path. I wish I could show you..." Kili tells her, she seems interested in what he has to say and sits down on a step.

I know I should find Aerlinniel and let her know where they are. Kili and the Elleth are cute together. I laugh at myself, what am I saying? A Dwarf and an Elf. It's an unlikely match. I just don't know what to think anymore. Because, I am in love with a Dwarf. But...does he love me?

Aerlinniel POV

"What's your idea?" Elarinya asks me.

I'm about to answer her when someone knocks on the door.

"Come in." Elarinya calls out.

I hear a familiar heartbeat walk into the room.

"Faelwen!" I exclaim as I turn around.

"Aerlinniel!" She says and then hugs me. "I have missed you so much, mellon nîn."

"I have missed you also. Faelwen, I would like for you to meet Bilbo. Bilbo, this is my friend, Faelwen."

"Gi suilon, Bilbo. (I greet you, Bilbo)" Faelwen greets him.

"Uh." Bilbo says.

"She said, 'I greet you'." I tell him.

"Oh, well I greet you too, Faelwen. Did I pronounce your name right?" He asks her.

"Yes, you did."

"And you are Elarinya."

"Yes."

"So, Aerlinniel, are you staying or do you have to leave again?" Faelwen asks.

"I am going to need to leave soon, but I can't without my traveling companions. They are the Dwarves that King Thranduil has taken prisoner. He won't release them. So, we need to get them out. Do you know where Legolas is?" I explain to her.

"No, I don't know where he is. I wouldn't expect him to help us anyway." Faelwen says.

I give a sigh. "Alright, the plan I have should still work. Alright, follow me."

I walk out the door and head to the throne room first. I need to figure out if Mallory wants to stay or if she will be joining us. As we approach, I heard the door open. It's Mallory.

"King Thranduil is about to talk to Thorin." She tells us.

I walk closer to the door so I can listen to the conversation.

I hear King Thranduil speaking, "Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary. Or something of that ilk. You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule. The King's Jewel. The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help."

"I am listening." Thorin says.

"I will let you go if you but return what is mine." King Thranduil offers. Maybe he will let them go after all.

"A favor for a favor."

"You have my word. One King to another."

"I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word should the end of all days be upon us! You, who lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help. But you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us." Thorin says angrily and then shouts something in Dwarfish. No wonder Thorin hates elves so much. I cannot believe that King Thranduil would do that, this is not the King Thranduil that I have come to know.

"Do not talk to me of Dragon fire. I know its wrath and ruin." King Thranduil, now also angry, shouts to Thorin, "I have faced the great serpents of the North. I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But he would not listen. You are just like him. Stay here, if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an Elf. I'm patient. I can wait." King Thranduil tells him. Looks like we are going to have to break them out.

"Let's go." I whisper. We continue walking and I talk to Mallory. "I need to know if whether you want to come with us or if you would rather stay here. It is your choice and I understand if you would like to stay here."

She is silent for a moment before saying, "As much as I would love to stay here with Thranduil. I know that I should come with you and help. I will return after we finish this quest."

I smile at her. "Alright, well then. First things first we need to find Imryll.

"I'm right here." She says.

"Good, did you find where they are keeping the Dwarves?" I ask her.

"Yes, I did." She answers, sounding very happy. About what, I don't know. I will have to ask her, but later because now is not the time.

"Okay, Bilbo. I want you to use that ring of yours and go find the guard that has the keys and try to get it from him. Do you think you can do that?" I tell Bilbo.

"I think so." He says and I listen as he walks off.

"Take us to where the Dwarves are and I will finish explaining when we get to them."

"This way." Imryll tells us.

We follow her for quite a ways until I can finally hear the Dwarves heartbeats. I can also hear Bilbo's too, but he's a little farther away. I wonder if he found the keys.

"I'll wager the sun is on the rise. Must be nearly dawn." I hear Bofur say.

"We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori says, sadly.

"Not stuck in here, you're not." Bilbo tells them and I hear him shake the keys.

"We've come to bust you out of here." Imryll says.

I hear the Dwarves start to chatter.

"Shh! There are guards nearby!" I whisper shout to them.

"Close the doors. It will buy us more time." Thorin whispers. "Up the stairs."

"Not that way. Down here. Follow me." I tell them. "This way. Come on."

They start to head down while I stay for a moment to say goodbye to my sister and my friend.

"I have missed you both so much, I'm sorry I have to leave again. I will be back soon." I tell them, giving them a sad smile. I give them both a hug before I head down after the Dwarves.

"I don't believe it. We're in the cellars!" Kili says, frustrated.

"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur tells me.

"I know what I'm doing!" I say.

"Shh." Bofur shushes me. I roll my eyes.

"Everyone, climb into the barrels quickly." I instruct them.

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

"No, no. They won't, I promise you. Please, you must trust me." I say and the Dwarves all start talking with each other. I sigh.

"Do as she says." Thorin tells them.

I hear them getting into the barrels.

"Everyone's in." Dori whispers.

"What do we do now?" Bofur asks.

"Hold your breath." I tell them as I find the lever.

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur asks me and I pull the lever.

I hear the Dwarves all tel and the barrels splashing into the water below. I stand on top of where the barrels were and carefully walk forward. I feel it starting to open and fall down and plunge into the water.

~~~~~~

Hope you guys like this chapter! :) Also, ImryllC I hope that I did a good job with and that you like your character's point of view. ^~^ Sorry that I have not updated in a while, I have been stressed and so busy with school. I can't wait til summer. :) I hope to update again soon.

Love you my elves from the realm of llamas,

~Ellethwen <3