Returning Home: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 42 - Cloaks and Daggers

~~ Elena ~~

Elena sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Then Bard was right," she said softly. "What do you make of it?"

Fíli leaned his ear against the door, listening carefully before dropping to the floor and peering under it. "No one's outside right now, but keep your voice low," he whispered. 

Walking over to the closed window on the other wall, he placed his fingers between the wood shutters and pulled, his fingers straining as he tried unsuccessfully to move it. Pulling out a small knife, he dug it between the shutters and slid it down the length of it, stopping when he heard a small click. This time when he pulled, the shutters began to open with a creak, and he quickly stopped, returning them to their original position. 

"At least we have a way out, just in case," he muttered, returning to sit by her and hiding his dagger again. "Do you remember what the plan is?"

She nodded, surreptitiously feeling for her own dagger, and making sure it was easy to reach. "And the excellent back-up plan - jump out the window and run for it if things go south. The Master is fairly predictable, however. As long as we make it seem like he's in charge, and will be getting rewarded for it, he shouldn't cause too many problems." She grimaced. "Except for the part about staying here. I really, really don't want to do that. I feel tense enough just sitting here."

Fíli scowled at the table beside him. "Neither do I. But now that he's brought it up, I don't know that we'll be able to get out of it, especially since he's the Master of Lake-town, and we're both high-ranking guests. It would be expected that we stay with him." He sighed. "He probably wouldn't try anything that might threaten him getting his gold, though, so we should be safe enough. I'll see if we can avoid it, or get out of it, if we get the chance." 

Elena hummed thoughtfully, drumming her fingers on her leg. "Bard warned us about that, though. That he might try and keep us here. As insurance on the contract, or possibly even a ransom-type situation if it came down to it."

She cast him a look. "But Fíli, we'll probably need to stay here. Or at least seem like we agree to it. Otherwise he might cancel the evacuation. And I want as many people to be as far from here as possible before he comes. Not to mention we need the distraction so that Óin and Bofur can get the Black Arrow up to the watchtower without anyone noticing."

"I know, I know," Fíli agreed reluctantly. "And there's still the chance that they might be able to kill him in the mountain, and then none of this will be needed. But I hate that you have to be here for this." He snorted. "I hate that I have to be here for this. I think I've been less tense waiting to tell Amad that I broke one of her favorite decorations as a child."

"What's she like?" Elena asked curiously. "If you don't mind, I mean. It could help pass the time. Is she like Thorin, or a complete opposite, or...?"

Fíli grinned despite himself. "She definitely looks like Thorin. Kíli takes after both of them. I'm one of the odd ones out at the dinner table, with my light hair. She's definitely a Durin in temperament, too. She's probably the only one who can out-stubborn Thorin, and gives just as good as she gets. She's also one of the only ones he'll listen to in tough situations. They rely on each other."

"Did she want to come on the quest? Or did she think it was foolhardy and that you should all stay home?" Elena asked with interest, before cracking a grin. "Or did she decide to stay home and keep things from falling apart while you were gone?"

Fíli considered the questions. "Yes, to all three?" he said hesitantly at last. "She thought about coming, but I think she wanted to give Smaug a fighting chance. She also thought Thorin was an idiot for wanting to go in the first place, and told him so repeatedly."