Sam

~~~

"You three we're leaving come on!" Thorin shouts cutting Jacob, Bilbo, and my conversation short. Lacy is sitting quietly probably curious why she even came instead of staying with Tauriel.

"We will discuss more later but for now come on," I murmur and turn to follow the company and they stalk Bard back to his barge.

"What makes you think I would help you?" Bard asks while shoving one of the scratched up barrels into the barge.

"Those boots have seen better days, as has that coat," Balin points out. "No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed? How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls," Bard replies, a fond look on his face. I can tell he loves them very much.

"And your soulmate, I imagine, they're a beauty?" Balin assumes and Bard hesitates.

"Aye, she was." Balins face falls fast.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Oh, come on, come on. Enough with the niceties," Dwalin snaps thoughtlessly.

"What's your hurry?" Bard inquires.

"What's it to you?" Dwalin demands.

"Hey be nice!" Allie scolds.

"I would like to know who you are, and what you were doing in these lands," Bard responds.

"We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains, journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills," Balin explains,

lying through his teeth.

"Simple merchants with three halfings-

"Hobbits," Thorin corrects? cutting Bard off. Allie freezes up, a shocked look on her face at his actions. I imagine I look equally surprised and Emily takes this time to jolt awake coughing a bit.

"Two hobbits, one with wings, and two elves, one bleeding out on the ground, so simple merchants you say?"

"We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin questions a softer expression on his face. It's an evasion of the prodding.

"Please help out a fellow Middle Earth citizen," Allie begs.

"I know where these barrels came from," Bard says.

"Oh Valar Natalie or Grace would have come so in handy with this," I grumble under my breath.

"What of it?" Thorin asks.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Lake Town but by lead of the master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland realm. He would see you in irons before risking the wrath of king Thranduil."

We stand stumped by the predicament. How can we convince this man of our intentions.

"Let me try," I volunteer and step forward. "Hi I'm Sam and my elvish power is mind reading. Besides that here the elf bleeding out on the ground is Alex Blackheart!" Bard is taken aback and squints his eyes.

"She can't testify for any of you," Bard says. Thorin sighs and nods at Balin. Bard leaps into his barge and throws the rope thing it to the dock to Balin.

"What about me I'm Lacy a messenger for Elrond," Lacy cuts in.

"I have never heard of you and you don't seem to have any documents with his signature on hand," Bard observers looking over Lacys rumpled appearance and destroyed ball gown.

"I can vouch for them, I am Jacob Scim a member of the royal guard," Jacob interjects and displays his uniform and leaf shaped metal badge. Bars raises an eyebrow and nods.

"I can accept that, I'll take you in."

"We still cannot be seen though, we did leave on bad pretenses but we are only passing through Lake Town," Jacob continues, a pleading in his gaze.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen," Balin entreats.

"Aye. But for that you would need a smuggler," Bard answers coyly.

"For which we would pay double."

Bard freezes and contemplates for a moment.

"Get in."

~~~

Grace

~~~

The orcs keep after the dwarves and I stop because no more elves seem to be following past the border.

"Legolas we should be helping," I persist.

Suddenly I hear a swishing sound and turn around to see an arrow heading right towards him. It is quickly shot out of the sky and the orc that shot it assaulted by Tauriel.

"Tauriel we keep this one alive!" Legolas belts out abruptly and prevents her from plunging a knife into its twisted heart.

"We're doing what now?" I growl.

"Interrogating come along," Legolas orders and I elbow him sharply. "Please come back to the castle."

"Better, we can go now," I relent and the three of us drag the orc back to the castle.

I feel a pang of guilt realizing that Allie is alone being hunted by orcs and Alex close to death while I'm not helping but I ignore it.

I left things in a bad place with Allie but I can fix them later.

~~~

Allie

~~~

"Can you get if off?" I ask desperately holding up my wrist. The eleven smith nods and gently hammers at it. Each hit releases a spark of magic till it comes off. I feel great relief once it's gone.

~~~

Grace

~~~

"Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was. So will it always be. In time all foul things come forth."

Thranduil speaks in a steady but imposing drawl as he paces before the orc.

We brought the filthy thing into the throne room for interrogation. Natalie joined in as well.

"You were tracking a company of thirteen dwarves, three hobbits, and four elves Why?" Legolas demands as he holds his sword against the orcs neck. This is a trick question because I know why. We want to make sure the orc is somewhat truthful.

"Not thirteen dwarves, and only two more elves. One elf is here and one soon to die and one dwarf along with the elf," the orc taunts then glares at Tauriel and me. She's on edge having Lacy gone. "The blonde one, the blonde haired assassin, we stuck her soulmate with a Morgul shaft. The poison's in his blood, he'll be choking on it soon. The elf will go with him obvious to see."

"Answer the question, filth," I snarl, anger filling me. Black arrow?

"[I do not answer to dogs, She-Elf!]" the orc spits in black speech and I clutch my dagger tighter.

"I would not antagonize her," Legolas advises and throws a wink at me. His confidence and flirting does nothing to soothe my anger.

"You like killing things, Orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you!" I growl and lunge forward knife in hand at the orcs chest.

"Enough! Grace, leave! Go now!" Thranduil commands and I freeze just before sinking my blade into the creature. Glaring at Thranduil I pull back and his expression softens. Thranduil mouths 'sorry' and I reluctantly walk off.

I go to my room and instantly change. After getting into travel clothes I arm myself thoroughly with a multitude of weapons.

Suddenly Natalie bursts into my room without knocking.

"Grace we have to go. We have to save Alex and Kili," Natalie proclaims after storming in. "After saving them and solving all the other problems with this journey we need to worry about the darkness returning. We also have to go now because the king is shutting us off from the world. He is scared."

When Thranduil becomes fearful he closes he gates and holds all his people inside the castle for safety.

"I agree lets go do you have weapons?" I ask looking Natalie up and down. She's changed out of her ball attire and into travel clothes as well. She carries a heavy pack on her back. It is full of the dwarves confiscated belongings.

"I do come on!" Natalie replies and we both speed walk to the gates.

"Natalie and I are going for a walk," I tell the guards at the gate

"Aye princess please go," the guard invites and you both step out. They obviously haven't received the new order.

~~~

Tauriel

~~

I worry for Lacy deeply but how would I help? I cannot go against my kings orders.

"Close the gates permanently," Legolas orders the guards at the gate. This is the final gate we've come to.

"What about Natalie and Grace?"

"What about them?" I inquire.

"They both left with weapons said they were going for a walk."

Legolas looks to me and I give a hopeful look. After a moment he swears under his breath and smiles at me.

"Good we're going after them. Shut the gates behind us," Legolas demands and grabs my arm leading me out.

"You sneak!" I gasp. "You knew they'd leave and you planned to go after them."

"I'm offended you'd think I'd do anything else."