Returning Home: A Hobbit Fanfiction

Chapter 44 - The Master Plan

~~ Elena ~~

The rest of the day passed quickly enough, though it could hardly be called pleasant. Fíli woke her up a few hours later when the boats returned, and they both reluctantly returned to the docks to help load them. 

While she was still tired, she was feeling more alert, and better able to pay attention to her surroundings - such as the fisherman with a tear in his cloak that popped up suspiciously often no matter where they went, or the fact that any time they tried to approach Bard's boat, someone would 'need their help' or 'accidentally' get in their way.

Not to mention that the man himself looked very... tense. Tenser than he had been when they'd told him that a dragon would attack Lake-town. But without being able to get close enough to actually talk to him, they had no idea what was bothering him, although they could only assume it was because his children still weren't allowed to leave. 

"Do you think we'll be able to get his children out of here?" Elena whispered as they watched the next load of boats set out for the distant Mirkwood forest. They were safe enough for now, but she had a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach, though she wasn't sure she could blame it entirely on the dragon.

Fíli scanned the area with hard eyes, flickering once over a woman hugging two small children to her against the wall of a house, and stopping once more on a tall man whittling on an overturned bucket. "I don't know," he said at last, not taking his eyes off the man. "I haven't seen Óin or Bofur at all today. Though that might just be because they've seen our followers as well, and don't want to draw attention to themselves."

"Maybe they're just trying to keep a closer eye on the house?" Elena suggested, following his gaze and frowning curiously at the man. "What's wrong? Is he one of the Master's guards?"

Fíli shook his head. "I don't know. But if I've learned anything from Nori, it's how to be able to recognize a tail. The man in the gray cloak was obvious - a bit too obvious, perhaps."

"Nori taught you how to recognize a tail?" Elena asked with a raised eyebrow as they stepped up to a stall to barter for some fresh food, neither of them having eaten since the night before. They dropped the conversation while they made the deal - prices increasing because of the evacuation - then returned to the private docks, where they could eat in relative peace. "I'm surprised he was willing to teach you - or that you knew him at all before the quest."

Fíli chuckled, taking a bite out of his meat pie. "I keep forgetting you don't know," he said after swallowing a swig of water. 

"Know what?"

"That Nori's not just a thief, he's Thorin's unofficial spymaster back in the Blue Mountains." He grinned at the look on her face. "He keeps it on the down low, because obviously Nori wouldn't be of much use to him if everyone knew who he was, but he's great at ferreting out information. I think Thorin offered him the job around the third or fourth time he got caught. Thought it would be more beneficial to the both of them this way. It was, and made Nori unswervingly loyal to him for giving him a chance, rather than judging him without actually knowing him."

Elena nodded slowly, chewing on her own bite of pie hungrily. "Makes sense," she agreed through her mouthful. She swallowed and added, "But are you sure that it's all right if I know? What if I, I dunno... run off and tell the Master what it is that he actually does?"

He seemed to be completely unmoved by her words. "Then I would question your sanity. More than I already do anyways, I mean."

Elena scowled at him for a minute, but a snicker escaped her. "I suppose you're right to," she admitted, feigning shame. "I am friends with you, after all, and look what that did to Kíli."