A Place to Belong

Chapter 25: Here's the Plan

Braerka sped down every tunnel she came across doubling back when she heard or saw elves; not that there were many. She guessed most of them were busy with the Orcs that were attempting to lay siege to them and she was glad of it. Even so, as much as she felt hatred for these elves, and would have loved nothing more than to punch one, she didn't really want to hurt them, or for any harm to come to them; not on purpose anyway.

She followed the familiar walls of places she'd seen on her way to the throne-room but then stopped herself, recalling she had been brought a different way to her cell at first. If she wanted to have any chance of finding any of the others she would have to go that way.

She sprinted down the next tunnel and came across an empty cell. She stopped briefly to inspect it. It looked like it had been emptied and not that long ago, it was mere milliseconds later that she recognized the manacles on the wall and the decrepit dwelling as her own. She swiftly moved on knowing for certain she was now on the right path and would, hopefully, soon come across one of the others. She didn't make it very far before running straight into Legolas.

He grabbed her by the arm and began pulling her down the adjacent tunnel, but she struggled against his grip instinctively, it was as though she couldn't bear to have an elf touch her. Only when his grip became softer and more gentle did she calm herself to a stop.

"Come with me!" he told her serenely, still holding her arm.

It was then that she spied the Reaver in his hand, surprisingly not glowing the crimson red it would with strangers or enemies, 'perhaps that's because I don't feel he is an enemy.' She thought. Though that was far from true, at that moment she felt every elf in the palace was an enemy of hers, but something told her Legolas wasn't like the others. Almsot unwillingly she allowed him to lead her. At a hurried pace he lead her down the pathways and stopped for nothing.

They sped down towards a closed cell; Braerka ripped her arm from Legolas' grip upon seeing Kili within.

She almost screamed his name as she gripped the half-rusted bars, subconsciously willing them to bend apart that she might hold him. He too, relieved to see her still alive, gripped them allowing their fingers to intertwine.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?!" she demanded of him, unable to contain the worry she felt and the urge to know he was of sound body and mind. He looked a little dishevelled and disquieted, as though still coming to terms with some immense knowledge. Had Legolas or someone else told him about her and all of the Guardian related things? Or was something else on his mind?

"I'm fine honestly; I was more worried about you!" he replied, an exasperating sigh of relief left him. He stroked her knuckles softly with the tip of his thumb.

Legolas grunted impatiently, she glanced over her shoulder at him and saw he was watching them with a close eye. She didn't like how he stared but ignored him none-the-less returning her gaze to Kili.

He looked so tired, but she imagined they all did, they had spent several days with little food or water, and not much sleep to speak of. She was amazed at how composed he looked although he was out of his element. She silently vowed that they would make it out and see the light of day again, and soon.

She sighed, "We're gonna get out of here! I promise!" she whispered to him.

"Well I hadn't planned on staying!" he whispered back, smiling widely as he said it.

She couldn't help but smirk. Still trying to be funny when all seemed at its worst, it was just like him. She had missed this. Although it had only been a few hours since their last encounter, it had been long enough to inform her that without him she would always be that little bit more lost than with him; not to mention the nightmarish hells that came without his presence too. She continued smiling and at a loss for words simply stared.