[IC] The Hobbit/LOTR: Another Age of Evil Beginnings { Elven & Angel }

[The Elvenqueen]

"The villain, he's selling us out!" hissed Dwalin angrily, though all the dwarves yelled in surprise as the barrels were filled with fish, right on top of them!
Bard then went back to steering the boat, kicking the barrel nearest to him when the dwarf inside started squirming and making noise.
"Quiet! There are guards ahead, we're approaching the toll gate." he brought the boat to a stop at the gate and nodded at the man who approached him.
"'Ello Bard, anything to declare?"
"Evening Percy, nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home." Bard replied, handing over a tattered piece of paper to the other man, which he stamped and went to hand back to Bard.
"There we are, all in order!"

Thranduil regarded his son seriously for a short moment before he answered tersely. "There was nothing more he could tell me." then descended the stairs, flicking the thick black blood off his blade before sheathing it again. "I want the watch doubled on our borders, every road, every river." he ordered. "Nothing moves but I hear of it, no-one enters this Kingdom, and no-one leaves it!"

[AngelBites15]

Maleficent kept her stance to act and look like a commoner, so no one would notice her as an elf. The toll gate was barred and it seems they do a thorough job of checking their goods. Things we're going on smoothly, however, she tended when a hand took the paper from Percy's hand. "Not. So. Fast", the man slowly said to them. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland realm", he smirked after reading off the paper. "Only, they’re not empty, are they, Bard? If I recall correctly, you’re licensed as a bargeman. Not...a fisherman", he took one of the fish. "I fished them", Maleficent spoke up.

Under his father's order, the kingdom had to be sealed off. Legolas began to walk towards the guards by the gates. "Close the gate! Keep it sealed by order of the King", he commanded under the Silvan tongue.

[The Elvenqueen]

"It's none of your business." Bard protested, flashing Maleficent a grateful look.
"Wrong." Alfrid smirked. "it's the Master's business, and that makes it my business." he looked at the guards that had come with him. "These fish," he picked up one, revealing Bombur's eye, but no-one seemed to be focused on the barrels that much and it went unnnoticed, "are illegal, regardless of who fished them. You," he looked at Maleficent, "are not authorized to fish or to sell fish, in these parts. I would know if you were. Empty the barrels over the side." he ordered.
"Wait!" Bard shouted, panicked.

"Man os Mel?(What about Mel?)" asked the guard, looking confused.
"Man os sen?(What about her?)" Tauriel asked, one eyebrow quirking upwards in concern. Mel had run ahead of them after hearing Thranduil's order, what had she done now?
"Edevín eb enedhor na gû a megil. En ú-nandollen.(She went into the forest with her bow and blade, she has not returned.)"

[AngelBites15]

"Have a heart, my friend", Maleficent spoke up as she approached the pair from her position. "People need to eat since food is scarce", the fae tried to persuade him, but the guards were picking up the barrels and began to tip them. She had to be quick, since one of the dwarves are in there. If they get caught, Mahal only knows. "That’s not my problem" "If the people hear that the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, the riots will start. Tell me, will it be your problem then?", she grilled at Alfrid, almost exposing her face when standing near them. As the guards are just starting to empty the barrels over the side, Alfrid holds up his hand to stop them. "Stop!", Maleficent internally smiled, thankful for the relief.

Legolas walked outside near the gate and looked out into the woods. Dear cousin, what have you done?

[The Elvenqueen]

Bard sighed in relief and smiled gratefully at Maleficent. The dwarves wouldn't be discovered and imprisoned after all. He began to steer the barge into town.
"You might have their favour now Bargeman, but it won't last!" Alfrid hollered after Bard. "The Master's got his eye on you! You'd do well to remember that we know where you live!"
"It's a small town, Alfrid." Bard smirked, not seeming phased by the greasy-haired man's threat. "Everyone knows where everyone lives!"

"We cannot let her go alone." Tauriel bit her lip as she glanced sideways at Legolas. Thranduil would be furious if he found out what had happened, but even more so if they left, too. "What do you want to do?" she asked, waiting to hear his answer. She would support him in whatever he chose.

[AngelBites15]

Maleficent looked around the poor town, and the condition makes it look like a harbor. There was a break in her heart to see such conditions, but Bard has made himself act normal with spies all over the place. Looking around to make sure no one was looking, he tipped over one of the barrels with his foot. Funny it may seem, but Maleficent pushed them over.

Legolas hardened his stare into the woods until he noticed Tauriel talking to him. "We go, Mel's not that ready to go on her own", he told her before walking out, waiting for Tauriel to join him.

[The Elvenqueen]

The dwarves grumbled and groaned loudly as the barrels tipped over and they were thrown out onto the dock. Bard handed the people nearby a few of the dwarves'coins, muttering under his breath to them.
"You didn't see them, they were never here. The fish you can have for nothing."

Tauriel nodded and took a deep breath, following after Legolas. "Where do you think she has gone?"

[AngelBites15]

"Follow me", the bargeman told the company as Maleficent was right behind him, still having her hood up. Bard begins to lead them through the town center when they are met by a young boy. "Da, our house! It’s being watched", he told him in a panic. This wasn't going to work. They had to find another way in. Laketown's spies made their round to pass news of Bard arriving home, as he walks home with Bain and Maleficent while the company was nowhere in sight. Before he enters the house, he whistles before tossing a piece of bread to the two fishermen in the boat below them. "You can tell the Master I’m done for the day", he said to them before entering.

"I don't know. With the orcs out there, there is doubt on my mind that she would fight them on her own", Legolas noted to his friend as they made it to the kingdom's back gate. "There is only one path this trail goes to"

[The Elvenqueen]

Bard peered out the window to make sure that the spies weren't watching anymore, then nodded to his son. "Bane, get them in." he murmured. The boy headed down to the toilet and rapped three times on the wall to give the dwarves the signal.
Dwalin's head rose up out of the toilet, eyes narrowed at the young boy.
"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off!" the beefy dwarf hissed at him, slapping Bane's hand away when he tried to help him.
"Up there!" Bane pointed to where they should go, pulling a shivering Bilbo up after Dwalin.

"She is following the river." Tauriel observed as they followed the trail. She frowned. "Is she trying to hunt the Orcs or do you think she's going after the dwarves?"

[AngelBites15]

Sigrid, the eldest daughter, watches from the staircase as the dwarves come out of the toilet and into the house. "Da, why are there dwarves coming out of our toilet?", she asked her father in confusion. "Will they bring us luck?", the youngest, Tilda, joyfully asked.

Later, the company sat by the fire to dry themselves off as Bard gave them dry clothes. "They may not be the best fit, but they’ll keep you warm", Tilda offers some of the clothes for Bilbo. "Oh, thank you", he kindly responded as he shivered. Maleficent removed her hood to let her face be shown while her hair draped across her chest. Still, there were no horns on her head anymore. She took some of the clothes from Tilda and passed them around to the compnay, including the twins.

"Hopefully, not orcs. She can't fight them on her own. Even she knows that", Legolas knows that Mel knew better than not to face the enemy on her own, besides the Uruk-hai can track her in seconds. "This river leads to Lake-town, the place of Men. The dwarves would seek sanctuary there. Come", the Elven Prince said while he pointed to the river, before taking running speed.

[The Elvenqueen]

Kili, still shivering, mumbled grateful thanks to Maleficent. His leg still hurt somewhat but he didn't want her to worry so he kept quiet about it. Thorin stood at the window, staring out of it at the tower that they could see in the center of the town, with a large almost bow-like weapon at the top. Bilbo went to stand by the dwarf prince and looked at it too.
"A dwarvish Windlance." Thorin breathed in awe. He never thought he would see one again in his lifetime.
"You look like you've seen a ghost." Bilbo mumbled.
"He has." Balin nodded. "The last time we saw such a weapon, the city was on fire." he explained.

Tauriel broke into a run after Legolas, hoping they would get to Mel and convince her to come back.

Further down the river, Mel was following the Orc's trail since they were following the dwarves. She knew she couldn't kill them all by herself, but what she really wanted was to catch up to the fae and the dwarves, and apologise for shooting that young dwarf archer. She needed to explain why she had done it, and put things right. And if she could kill some of the Orcs on the way there, then she would do so.

[AngelBites15]

Maleficent did hear with her elf ears that Kili was in pain, but she didn't want to make herself too worried. She did keep eyes and ears on the twins now, since everyone here was defenseless.

Girion, the lord of the city, rallied his bowmen to fire upon the beast. But a dragon’s hide is tough, tougher than the strongest armor. Only a Black Arrow fired from a wind-lance could have pierced the dragon’s hide. And few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand.

Visuals of that time were being in the heads of all who heard the tale. The arrow missing the dragon's hide, whilst not piercing it. "If the aim of men had been true that day, much would’ve been different", Thorin grimly remarked while he looked to the Hobbit and his old friend.

Following the same trail of the company, Legolas finds his cousin standing in the distance, while pointing his arrow at her.

[The Elvenqueen]

"You speak as if you were there." Bard frowned slightly.
"All dwarves know the tale." Thorin lied. They couldn't tell him that they were really there, the dwarves of Erebor, going to reclaim their home from the dragon.
"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon!" exclaimed Bane excitedly, nodding. "He loosened a scale under the left wing; one more shot and he would've killed the beast!"
"That's a fairy story, lad." Dwalin answered with a shake of his head.

Pausing as she was suddenly aware of two presences behind her, Mel drew an arrow from her quiver and fitted it to her bow, wheeling round to point it back at them. Tauriel smirked, knife raised above her head as if to throw it.
"Ingannen le Orch. (I thought you were an Orc)" the blonde she-elf remarked with a raised eyebrow to the two of them.

[AngelBites15]

Thorin then walks up to Bard. "You took our money. Where are the weapons?", he urgently insisted. They were running out of time, and they needed to leave immediately. Bars was quiet for a moment. "Wait here", he told them before leaving out of the house, towards his boat, and drags the weapons up from under it.

Maleficent was just sitting by while she heard Thorin, Balin, and the twins have a discussion to themselves. "Tomorrow begins the last days of Autumn" "Durin’s Day falls the morning after next. We must reach the mountain before then", Balin insisted.

Legolas gives a small smirk of amusement at his younger cousin. "If we were Orcs, you would be dead", he amusingly answered back with the same tongue before lowering his bow, and takes a few steps closer to her. "Mel, you cannot hunt thirty Orcs on your own", he told her, clearly upset that she took off without telling them.

[The Elvenqueen]

Bard laid the weapons out and the dwarves gathered round to pick their weapons out, though they frowned and muttered under their breaths when they realised they were crudely fashioned and not what they were expecting at all.
"What's this?" asked Fili, picking up something that looked like a harpoon.
"A pike hook." Bard answered, "made from an old harpoon."
"And this?" Kili picked up a large hammer, a deep frown on his face.
"A crowbill, we call it. It's heavy in hand, I admit. But in defense of your life it will serve you better than none." the Lakeman nodded.
"We paid you for weapons!" snarled Gloin angrily. "Iron forged swords and axes!"
"It's a joke!" proclaimed Bofur, throwing down the 'weapon' he had picked up, the other dwarves all clamoured at the man, speaking and shouting over each other angrily.

Now it was Mel's turn to smirk, her head tilting to the side as she met their eyes. "But I'm not on my own, am I?"
"..You knew we would come." Tauriel muttered. It was a statement, not a question. "Are you out of your mind?! Dandolo ammen, e gohenatha (Come back with us, he will forgive you)."

[AngelBites15]

The yelling was too much for Maleficent to bear, and this was making her shake her head in disapproval. Suddenly, in a flash of anger, she striked her dagger into the table hard enough to make a loud thud. "Enough!", she shouted in Khuzdul. "You may not trust Men, but you're better than that. You have a mind; a mind is your weapon. This is not...the dwarves that I see. All I see, are stubborn, thick-minded individuals, who have no honor within them. When we get up there, the only dwarves that enter, those that I expect to see, are proven valuable with bravery, honor, loyalty, along with a humble exterior. Don't you understand? Not one of you, will be an animal. Not like the creatures upon you", she spoke her own mind in the way of boldness, filled with a mix of determination, anger, and sadness. The fae looked upon them all. "Who would you be? An animal, or a dwarf?", she asked.

Legolas stepped forward to her, so he would be in front of her. "The King is angry, Mel. For six hundred years, my father has protected you, favored you. You defied his orders, you betrayed his trust", he calmly told her with softness in his voice. Sometimes, he almost saw her like a sister rather than a cousin. "This is not our fight"

[The Elvenqueen]

Kili and Fili exchanged embarrassed glances and mumbled an apology. A few others like Ori and Bofur joined in the apologising, but Dwalin and Gloin and the more stubborn dwarves kept muttering under their breaths.
"Thorin, why not just take what's on offer and go?" Balin suggested to the dwarf leader, agreeing with Maleficent. "I've made do with less, and so have you!"

"This is our fight!" Mel growled sharply at him. "This doesn't end here, do you not understand?! With each and every victory we grant it this evil will grow. Tell me, Legolas." her expression softened some then, she couldn't stay angry at him for long, he was like a brother she had never had. "When did we let evil become stronger than us?"

[AngelBites15]

Maleficent sighed with relief before leaning back up to her standing position and retracting the dagger from the table, which left a thin hole inside it. Balin turned to the company. "I say we leave now", he suggested. "You’re not going anywhere", Bard protested with slight narrowed eyes. "What did you say?", Dwalin growled in anger. "There are spies watching this house, and probably every dock and wharf in the town. We must wait till nightfall", he explained while looking outside the window.

Legolas said nothing, knowing that she was right. "Tauriel, come", he lead the way.

[The Elvenqueen]

Bard then left the dwarves in the house, after instructing Bane not to let them leave before he returned. He went down to the docks and found the merchants, run by Percy as well.
"'Ello Bard," the other man greeted as Bard raced past and began rifling through the fabrics there. "What are you after?"
"There was a tapestry, an old one!" Bard exclaimed urgently as he searched.

Tauriel hesitated for a moment, nervously glancing back towards the kingdom over her shoulder before she followed after the two cousins.

[AngelBites15]

"Where’s it gone?", Bard asked aloud while searching. "What tapestry are you talking about?", Percy asked, clearly confused. Bard manages to find it. "This one", he opens the tapestry, which shows the Oakenshield lineage. As he looks over the tapestry, he hears the towns people start gossiping about the dwarves. "They were dwarves, I tell you. Appeared out of nowhere. Full beards, fierce eyes. I’ve never seen the like" "What are dwarves doing in these parts?" "It’s the prophecy" "Prophecy?" "Prophecy of Durin’s folk", Bard manages to find Thorin’s name on the tapestry. "A prophecy?", he asks himself, and then, that's when he realize what Thorin and the other dwarves were planning to do. "Can it really be true? Has the Lord of Silver Fountains returned?", a townswoman asked aloud.

"The Lord of Silver Fountains. The King of Carven Stone. The King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own", Bard begins to think to himself as he rushes back to his home. "And the bells shall ring in gladness at the Mountain King’s return. But all shall fade in sadness. And the lake will shine and burn"

As he enters, the company was gone, but Maleficent wasn't. "Da! I tried to stop them", Bain tried to explain. "How long have they been gone?", he demanded. The fae thinks to herself where the company went. Oh, Mahal... She rushed out of the house with her hood up towards the armory.