Stiffly arching her back, Liruliniel winced, perhaps sleeping against the windowsill was not the wisest thing after all; she probably would've been better off in one of the chairs near the fire. Cracking open an eye, she squinted against the peaking sunrays which were coming through the white clouds outside. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day, the sky was still rosy, pale pinks melded perfectly with light baby blue hues, and the sun was lazily rising out and from behind fluffy white clouds.

Pushing away from the wall, she stretched her arms out in front of herself before resting them in between her knees. Her mind drifted as she just stared outwards at the town, noises from beyond the pane of glass signalled to her that others were waking too. Her fingers deftly plucked and twiddled pieces of fur of the blanket as she looked suddenly to the side, loud footsteps came running down the stairs and she wasn't surprised to see Tilda.

The young girl still looked a little bed ruffled, yet she had on a clean dress, her doll was in her arms, and her hair was flowing down her back in soft waves. A call of her name and Sigrid appearing, brush in hand, also signalled to Liruliniel that the young girl came down here so quickly to possibly escape her sister doing her hair. Liruliniel smiled and swung her legs over the window seat, she couldn't comment on that, she had only ever been the one to do her hair.

"You're still here!" Tilda all but beamed her way, avoiding her sister and darting around the table and standing to Liruliniel's side. Liruliniel leaned her forearms against her knees and nodded slowly, still coming to the land of the awake and with it slowly. She combed a hand through some of her own wayward locks of hair before watching Tilda eye her weapons with a sly eye, walking around she jumped slightly and sat beside her.

"I have nowhere else to go, yet. Did you think I would spirit away in the night?" Liruliniel asked with a smile, she was quite fond of this girl's bubbly attitude. So far, she hadn't seen Tilda look anything but happy, joyous like a child should be. That pang in her heart reappeared, Liruliniel frowned and looked over her shoulder with a troubled look.

"What is it?" Sigrid asked, noticing the look on the elf's face too. She placed the brush on the table and looked to the side when her father's bedroom door opened. Bard came out dressed and ready for the day, he was finishing tying some of his hair back, a confused look on his face. He clearly thought he had interrupted something because of the looks on all the female's faces.

"I need to find Thorin," Liruliniel turned and looked at Bard, he tilted his head, his face deadpanned. He didn't seem to appreciate that or agree. He personally didn't see what else could be said to the dwarf to get him to listen. He was hell-bent on getting home and likewise bringing dragon fire to the world. Standing and turning, she commenced tidying herself for the day and whatever events may come from it. "May I?" She asked awkwardly while pointing at the brush, Sigrid picked it up and gave it to her.

"What do you intend to say, or do?" Bard asked, taking over sorting breakfast for his family. Sigrid seemed content to do so, but he ushered her to sit down at the table.

Liruliniel painstakingly undid all the braids in her hair, a task which had Tilda watching with wide eyes. She seemed utterly enthralled, Liruliniel smiled her way before running the brush through when she was done. "I intend to ask if he spoke to the Master, if he tried and if he succeeded." Liruliniel said, watching Bard turn around once he placed the kettle on the heat to boil.

He leaned back against the counter to the side of the small hob, arms crossed against his tunic shirt and looked at her knowingly, even a small smirk in place. "I believe we already know the answer to that."

Liruliniel frowned, "I must know."

"Why?" Bard was curious, he knew the likelihood of Thorin asking the Master to listen to a possible evacuation being put in place was as unlikely as the dwarf suddenly learning to fly.

Liruliniel frowned again, she thought over that simple question and the many, many answers which could come with it. Sighing heavily, she commenced tightly braiding her hair all up again, another act which Tilda watched; it was like she was completely mesmerised by the actions. "Because I need to know if Thorin is capable of keeping his word. I always presumed he was trustworthy, but if he does not try and get around a certain problem, then it changes quite a bit. It will mean that if a fight were to happen, he will be my enemy, not my friend. But it will also give my King great pleasure in saying he was right." Liruliniel tried her best to speak in terms of hypothetical queries because of the children being present. The last thing she wanted was to scare them.

"I see. Then good luck, I hope you hear what you wish to."

It was Liruliniel's turn to look at him knowingly, her own smirk in place. "I believe we already know the answer to that." She commented, getting an eye roll from him as he turned to the kettle. She commenced strapping her weapons back in place, Tilda didn't look as enthusiastic. "I will come back here, if that is fine with you?" Liruliniel saw the sadness in her eyes disappear as she looked at her father imploringly.

Even Bard could tell his youngest had taken a shine to the elf. He hummed thoughtfully, even giving Sigrid a look, she shook her head with a smile. Teasing Tilda was fun, yes, but also mean because of how naïve she could be. "I think that is fine, don't you?" He looked between his daughters. Sigrid just leaned against her palm with a sigh and a smile and Tilda let out an exclaim. "Now, which one of you would like to drag Bain from his bed?" It hadn't got past him that his son was still clearly in bed, asleep.

And that's how Liruliniel left them, smiling her thanks to Bard as she left his humble home. The air outside was bitter, a chill which didn't seem to ever leave this area. Regardless and with a puff of breath appearing before her, Liruliniel trotted down the stairs and along the sometimes-rickety wharf walkways. The boarding would shift and creak under her boots every so often, a piece of ice here and there could be spied becoming dislodged by her weight against the boards and float off.

It seemed actually that everyone was yet again present to see the dwarfs and hobbit off. Liruliniel inhaled and coughed quietly, a townsperson glanced her way, clearly intending to say something rude only to see it was her. She hadn't seen someone's colour drain so quickly from their face, eyes almost bulging out of their head as they blindly reached out a hand and tapped whoever was before them. Liruliniel just stood there, arms by her sides as she watched them awkwardly step aside.

Not that she wasn't grateful for a path being made for her, it was just dramatic, but she was able to make her way onwards. She could see the company, all decked out in new gear and clothing for the weather and trip. She raised an eyebrow, well she wasn't expecting them to go with what they had from Mirkwood, but this seemed almost too good to be true.

Shaking her head, she bypassed someone else and completely blanked the Master and his weird little friend. They looked rather disdainfully at her, and Liruliniel inwardly smiled, bless them for trying to be intimidating, she had thought while a rather vehement expression suddenly flitted onto her face. Their looks faded rather quickly, and she turned her attention to Thorin.

They were all placing their new equipment into their boat, he noticed her and stepped forwards. "It is too late for me to ask you to stop, again. But may I ask, did you broach the topic of an escape plan with the Master?" Liruliniel was going to get straight to business, from the look on Thorin's face she knew the answer. Be fair, she knew the answer even before she got here. "Why?"

"Surely you know full well, that it is not looked upon kindly for one in charge to press another leader into matters and actions they may not agree to, or want any part in."

Liruliniel double took, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Correction, you didn't bring up the topic because you feared he would back out and leave you unequipped for your mission and not aid you in the slightest. Thorin, you are using these poor people, and they will die because of it!" Liruliniel exclaimed in a whisper as she sat on a nearby crate. She was the same height as him, more or less, and she easily saw the hardened look in his eyes upon hearing her words. "You are my friend, Thorin, but I do not agree with this."

"That does not surprise me at all. At least you are not trying to detain us."

"I couldn't stop you, even if I tried and you know it." She smiled, getting a wry smile from him. "The least I ask...is please try and not wake that dragon. All these people, or at least most, will not make it. I have faced serpents like this before and know the destruction as much as you do."

"It is something that will be kept in mind." Thorin said, Liruliniel frowned. It was rather nonchalantly thrown out, but she guessed it was the best she was going to get from him. He turned and watched his kin loading the boat up, he glanced back at her and wasn't surprised to see the troubled look on her face. "You could come too? That way you could truly keep everything in check, reassure yourself that the dragon stays sleeping." He said while rubbing his hands together to stave off the cold, but also because of what he threw out as a mere suggestion. He didn't know how she would take it, and she took it with a tilt of her head and a hard stare.

"If the dragon doesn't get you, Thranduil will if he knew of this and if it happened."

Thorin laughed quietly, "I am not afraid of him. And plus, I am not twisting your arm."

Liruliniel sighed, "You should be wary of him, at the least. Men can be vengeful and ruthless, none of them here will be happy with what is to come. But elves? Wrath and grudges have new meanings with us. So no, I will not go with you, Thorin."

He listened and nodded, her words seemingly having a double meaning. "You will grudge me-"

"If you bring ruin upon innocents which I have kept trying to get protection for, yes. Yes Thorin, I will grudge you, and when we next meet, it will be under different circumstances, and I fear any friendliness may be void."

"That is a shame."

"Isn't it?" Liruliniel asked dryly yet sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. Smiling, despite of the seriousness at hand and everything, she looked at him fondly. "Be safe, my friend." For he was still her friend, at the moment at least. "I wish you a safe journey, and I hope you find what you are looking for." Liruliniel got a hand clasped onto her shoulder in return, Thorin's hold squeezing gently in reciprocation.

She lifted her hand and watched him return to the wharf where their boat was. She hung her hands between her knees as her arms rested against her thighs. She watched curiously though as some altercation seemed to happen between him and Kíli, she didn't know what was said but when the younger dwarf turned away and moved back in her direction, Liruliniel couldn't help but wince. He looked positively unwell, his parlour now being a sickly grey, he didn't look at all well.

She moved and placed a gentle hand to his shoulder, he seemingly hadn't noticed it was her because he went to flinch and say something, only to pause as he looked upwards. Kíli's expression was sad, yet he looked at her with a small kind smile. Liruliniel held and steadied his arm as he almost collapsed on the crate she was sitting on. She knelt beside him, even placing a hand on his forehead and frowning gently. He leaned away from her touch and looked utterly discomforted by her actions. She couldn't help it, she was concerned. He looked worse than last time.

Hearing boots on wood, she looked up, the grateful look on the blonde dwarf's face said it all, Fíli was grateful of her trying to check on him in this moment, be beside him. Óin was at Kíli's other side trying to check on him too, and the youngest dwarf really wasn't enjoying the fussing anymore.

Yet the small group looked up when there was a herald of trumpets and such blaring in the air. A small brass band was on a platform, all simply playing the almost out of tune melody as the Master appeared, to a flurry of cheers as he walked up a set of stairs and looked out and down at everyone.

Liruliniel just inhaled really slowly, Fíli seemed to send her an understanding look. She could only guess he wasn't much of a fan of the mortal either. Yet the thinning redhead waved his hands in the air, trying to shush his masses. Another dry look was shared by Fíli and Liruliniel before they looked upwards. The speech he gave was as faux grandiose as his attire, Liruliniel believed a squirrel could probably do a better job and no one would truly understand its chirping, clicking and squeaking.

Hearing sudden shouting just as the boat got out of sight, Liruliniel was perhaps the first to spot Bofur. She nudged Fíli gently and he looked away from his brother to his friend. "So, you missed the boat as well?" Bofur sounded almost relieved at knowing he wasn't alone, which, Liruliniel could understand. Being alone in this place sounded as displeasing as facing the dragon himself, pass thanks all the same.

"Kíli!" Fíli couldn't even respond to Bofur before his brother more or less came to collapse against his shoulder.

Liruliniel looked up, the people were looking down at them with looks which were a mixture of disgust, unsympathetic and displeasure. They all turned away, rather rapidly as if they couldn't see the moment happening. She tapped Kíli on the shoulder gently, he lazily looked up. "We will help you to stand. But we need to get inside. Come on, my friend, surely you have your uncle's stubbornness in you? Up you get," Liruliniel tried to be light-hearted but Kíli seemed to sense she was doing this to try and distract him and let out a quiet groan.

Regardless he managed to pitch forwards, only to get caught by Fíli and Óin. Bofur readjusted his hat and looked at her with a light frown. "Where? Where do you suggest we go?"

Liruliniel stood behind Kíli, her hands resting underneath his arms as he wobbled. "Who did you go to first?"

"Oh no...no, no, he won't help us!" Bofur all but jumped on the spot and shook his head.

Liruliniel raised an eyebrow. "I cannot, for the life of me, wonder why, Bofur. Do you know anyone else in this town? No. Bard is kind, and he would not allow someone to be left outside in the cold if he knew they needed help."

"How do you know that?" Bofur was quick to point out and ask as Óin and Fíli got a proper hold of Kíli and commenced the slow walk back.

"Because he is a good man, and good men don't shut the door on those that need aid. He allowed me to sleep on his window seat, a stranger, let alone someone from another race! Do you see anyone else being that accommodating? No. Because they know you will not provide them with anything. Bard will not ask for anything, nor will he expect anything. Other than maybe no more dramatics." Liruliniel said while staying behind Kíli in case he stumbled back. She had to admit to herself, no more dramatics and dwarves seemed unlikely.

Yet it was slow going, whoever was still out and about turned away from them. They did not spare them a single glance, and Liruliniel was pained by how narrowminded and disinterested these people could be. She hated that her words were right, they only aided the dwarves last night and this morning because they thought they'd get something or were going to get something.

Óin, seemingly deaf as a doorpost and elderly clearly had nothing to give. Fíli was here for his brother, and his brother only; that family loyalty warmed her in the cold air and Kíli was barely stable, or lucid to have anything to benefit from. Bofur evidently overslept from being drunk, a hungover dwarf would provide nothing. Maybe noise.

No, these people weren't interested in them. They probably viewed them all as the same, or in the same lot at least. Liruliniel was not like the dwarves, not entirely, she was here for other reasons, and she was scoffed at and her continuing to be here seemed to pain those around them. It wasn't like she was going anywhere. No, she was here for the long haul. She had to see how these events would play out.

Needless to say, Bard was not happy with having the dwarves on his doorstep, regardless of Liruliniel was there too. "No, I'm done with dwarves. Go away." He shortly said, fully intending on shutting the door again.

Only, Bofur darted forwards. He stopped Bard doing so and looked at him worriedly. "No! No...no, please. No one will help us. Kíli is sick, he's very sick." Bofur glanced at the younger dwarf, he managed to lift his head from his brother's shoulder and look up. But he still looked totally spaced out, the look on Bard's face shifted then and he allowed them entry.

Liruliniel shut the door behind herself and looked at the children as they looked startled upon having dwarves back in their home. She stood to one side, Tilda naturally seemingly appearing by her side and looking puzzled too. Yet once Bard had helped the dwarves sort out a bed for Kíli, she scampered when she saw his serious expression. Bard nodded his head and Liruliniel got the hint, she moved after him and back outside.

The small porch area looked out over most of this part of town. The frozen waters still below and a few people milling about ignorant to them standing there. "Did you plan on returning with company?" Bard asked, his hands resting on the wooden railing. He looked sidelong at her as she stood beside him, leaning her arms against the railing she shook her head.

"Thorin didn't allow him to go with him and the others. When I accompanied them out of the forest, Kíli was already injured. I had gone to find herbs in hopes of aiding him, by the time I returned they were gone." She said, eyeing him with a look which had him straightening up.

"They were with me."

"Yes, they were."

Bard was silent for a few moments, he understood she felt an obligation to finish what she had originally set out to do. By extension he was being pulled into aid too, but how could he leave an injured man out in the cold? He wasn't surprised everyone here was turning a blind eye, but he wasn't like them. "How did you know I would've agreed?"

"You're a good man, Bard. Good men do right by everyone, even if they have grievances against those he is helping." She smiled with a quiet laugh.

"I have no grievance." He said, trying to be convincing.

He ultimately failed because of the look Liruliniel was giving him. She rolled her eyes and looked to the sky. "They can be brash, rude and abrupt; but they are good, they mean well too but they go about it differently."

It wasn't like he could disagree there. "I take it the talk did not go to plan?"

Liruliniel sighed and looked up at him, "No plan in action. I do not think he even tried. When trouble comes, it will be chaotic, but...we shall stick together, I do not have the power or strength to aid everyone."

Bard frowned in thought, "I take it you do not have the power or strength to stop a dragon, do you?" He heard her chuckle and found himself lightly smiling too.

"I'm not that good."

"Aren't you modest?" He joked, watching her grin and laugh again. But then, she had lived how many of his lives? How much of that was spent fighting and training? It was mind boggling. Inhaling deeply, he looked around his home, as if committing it to memory before looking back at the elf beside him. "I guess we better go back in, don't want no more disruptions thanks to your company."

"You helped them too, and you didn't need to." Liruliniel said while standing up straight and following him back inside. "Why?"

"They said they were travelling merchants, or something like that." He tried to be flippant, waving a hand in the air.

Liruliniel laughed, "And you believed that?! Oh, Bard..." Liruliniel patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "You got played I believe, my friend. Sorry to say, but they totally played you to get what they wanted."

"Are you trying to say I am no different than those which looked away from their current plight?" He questioned while she shed herself of her bow, she paused and looked his way.

"I don't call just anyone a good man, Bard. I expect to get them in, you were paid. I do not wish to say everyone has a price, but you got paid, just like these people expect to be. Only, I imagine unlike them, the money you received would be put towards things for your children. No, you are not like the others you live surrounded by; you care, genuinely care and it is endearing and lovely to see. It is nice to see that compassion is not gone in your race, sorry to go there." Liruliniel said while holding her hands up and then taking her quiver off of herself too. Walking towards the bed where Kíli laid, she sighed and placed a hand to his forehead. He really was very unwell, Liruliniel perched on a chair nearby and went through her mind on what could be done to aid him.

"Don't elves have magic?"

Liruliniel had stood away from the chair and paced in thought before stopping and looking slightly dumbstruck for a moment, she had taken to absentmindedly looking at the fire blazing away, ignorant to what was going on around it. It was Bofur who'd asked, he had been appointed to retrieve more water for Kíli, in an attempt to lower his fever.

Liruliniel looked back at the struggling dwarf and sighed, "It isn't as simple as that." She said while scratching a finger to her temple. Bofur tilted his head and looked at her sceptically, "I am not as good as Lord Elrond. I would need herbs, medicine. It isn't the case of waving my hands and behold!" Liruliniel explained, turning on her heels she followed Bofur back to the room. "Master Óin, Master Fíli, if I may? You said your duty is with the sick, if perchance we managed to find herbs or medicine in this town, would you allow me to tend to this wound which is afflicting our young friend?"

Óin muttered something that sounded an awful lot like; "Buttering us up by addressing us so politely." Which had Liruliniel sighing, she wasn't trying to do anything. She wanted permission, acceptance even. She didn't mean to be rude, but her healing techniques would be better than a dwarves.

"Yes, of course. Anything to help my brother." Fíli responded levelheaded and quiet, while also shooting a quick glare at Óin, the older dwarf just grumbled some more before nodding too.

In the background Bard could be heard rummaging through the cabinets, listing off the medicinal things he could find. Óin for one looked discouragingly at him, "None of those are of any use to me. Have you got any Kings Foil?"

"No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs." Bard replied, as he sent a glance to the small group. The look which Liruliniel shot him was a confused one, between being appalled and shocked. She even walked over, leaned her hands against the table and tilted her head. Her eyes looked him up and down as if she was trying to figure out if she had heard right.

"Pigs? Weed? Right, don't move." Bofur perked up too, looking as if a great revelation had hit him. Pointing at Kíli had the poor dwarf groaning some more before he darted off away from them.

"I will come with you, I think." Liruliniel said with a sigh while slipping away from the table.

"Did I say something?" Bard was confused, so very confused.

"You use one of the hardiest of plants, for pig food. Athelas deserves better than that." She sighed with a small smile; it was clear that really there was no proper apothecary here or else they'd have surely known how ridiculous that was?

Regardless, she strapped her bow and quiver back in place, she trusted this family not to do anything ridiculous with her weapons, but she'd still rather have them with her. After all, there was an orc pack out there and in truth, Liruliniel had lived on the edge this past day enough thinking they'd make their presence known. Yet nothing, and she didn't like it. The silence was heavy, nervous and full of tension. It was hard to settle in that house, mainly because of poor Kíli, but just everything seemed wrong.

Bofur looked up at her when she appeared outside on the small porch with him. "Aye, suppose it makes sense for two to search. Although, I thought you'd prefer to stay in there."

"I am of no use there, not without medicine to use."

"So...elves can't do magic then?" Bofur asked while practically waddle running down the stairs, Liruliniel inhaled slowly and shut her eyes. She silently walked down them with her arms behind her back, shaking her head she pointed in a random direction. Bofur just nodded mutely and pointed in the opposite direction, between them they could cover more ground and find the pigpens.

It was cold, and it was dark; needless to say, very little people out to question why she was walking about with a roaming eye and a tilted head. She was trying to listen to the familiar snorting of pigs, but also hoping her eyes would catch sight, she'd find the plant and run off back to Bard's home. So far, nothing. It was a large space to cover in such a rush, looking upwards, Liruliniel sighed again. Her breath came out in small plumes as she stepped back, only to hop and jump from a few crates to land on a roof.

She thudded quietly against the snow there, dislodging very little as she stood. Shaking her hair, she blew any wayward snowflakes from her face and looked around. Truly, with the moonlight casting its silver glow over the snow-covered rooftops, the town looked still and beautiful, in a strange way. She leapt from rooftop to rooftop and raised an eyebrow, she shook her head at the familiarity here. She didn't make it a habit to commute through the town this way, but it was quicker, and she was able to spy much more if she leapt from someone's chimney.

So high up, free and falling in the bitter night air, she could see far and wide and yet, still no sign. Huffing she landed and rocked a little on her heels. Her arms stuck out to balance herself and she looked around confusedly. That definitely wasn't her messing up a landing, she looked towards the Mountain with a worried look. It seemed others in the town felt the tremor too, because a few faces peeked out from windows and behind curtains. A few brave souls even dared to come outside. One did only to exclaim with fright at the sight of the elf perching simply on the handrail to their house.

"Sorry, sir." Liruliniel apologised with the bow of her head before standing up and running along the thin pole as if it was the largest piece of boarding ever. The man did double take before he lost sight of her as she leapt up and over onto someone else's roof. There was now an extra hurry to find that hiding Athelas. Kíli was in no position to be moved, if they needed to flee, he needed to be able. And no way was anyone being abandoned, she wasn't standing for that.

Leaping upwards and being in the night sky, she was perhaps the only being to see the humanoid figures crawling over rooftops, much like herself. She landed in a skid and looked around, there were people milling about doing, to be honest, she hadn't a clue. Standing up straight, her eyes flickered over them as they seemed to be watching something else. Her eyes widened more, not something, someone, was perhaps more accurate. "Bofur," she whispered lifelessly on the wind and did a running leap over to the next roof. They would pay little mind to her, not if they knew the dwarf below was here and may lead to others.

Liruliniel couldn't help but grunt as she skidded along a particular icy part of roofing, almost falling off she grasped the guttering and let go to land nimbly on her haunches. She sat for mere seconds before jumping and running off back to Bard's. She could only presume he had found the plant, which was good. Problem was...he was ultimately bringing company, not that he knew that.

Hearing a familiar voice, Liruliniel cursed, this was all such bad luck! "Sigrid! Get inside, now!" She all but shouted, startling the young girl yet from the look on Liruliniel's face she knew not to question it and truth be told, just as she moved to do so an orc landed behind her. The scream from Sigrid was one of true fear, of course it would be, she hadn't ever seen an orc before. Liruliniel remembered those bygone times.

Chaos was putting it lightly when she slipped into the house, the orc had kicked the door down with enough force to almost wrench it from the hinges. Flicking out one of Haldir's knives, Liruliniel easily swept into motion. Fíli bypassed her to tackle an orc away from the girls, while they screamed and dived for the table. Not before Tilda seemingly threw a plate at one, earning a snarl in return. Liruliniel had to hand it to her there, that was brave.

The problem being, they were swarming now, and the dwarves were just about unarmed and Liruliniel was trying her hardest while staying close to the table. An orc falling through the shattered roof had her jumping away to avoid being landed on, and in that moment the table was yanked upwards. The girls naturally screamed and clung to each other, and Liruliniel kicked the orc in front of her off of her knife. She really should thank the Marchwarden again, these knives were fantastic.

Skipping and hopping over broken items, she paused in motion seeing a familiar auburn-haired elf appear. Liruliniel and Tauriel exchanged a look before both coupling in motions with dodges and slashes to rid the remnants of the house of the orcs. Hearing a very quiet thud and the sounds of flesh against steel, Liruliniel chanced a glance. Legolas looked less than pleased with the chaos he had jumped into, but he wasted very little time in attacking the orcs either. The cramped space was hard to fight in, especially with avoiding the children and injured Kíli who at one point, got dragged by the leg screaming in agony.

Seeing it was a lost cause, the orcs bailed. They left utter destruction in their wake, what was a cosy home looked like a ransacked shack of a building, everything was ruined, or just about. Liruliniel slid her knife back into place and looked at her friends. "What took you so long?"

Legolas just gave her a look, a very Thranduil look which usually translated as; "Don't even start." Liruliniel just smiled, "There are others. Tauriel, come." Legolas said, rather blankly as he marched his way to the exit.

Tauriel looked torn, and Liruliniel held up a hand and ran after him. "You either intend to drive them out of this town, or you plan to kill them all, Legolas. What is it you are doing?" She was curious, truly.

Legolas seemed serious with hunting them down and killing them, and she couldn't help but get the feeling that something else was up here. He couldn't possibly care about this little mortal inhabited spit of land, if he did then well, Liruliniel was proud truthfully. She had wondered how long it would take for him to come around.

"They will not stop until Oakenshield is dead, where then do you think they are going?" Legolas responded before leaping over a railing and easily jumping from docked boat to boat.

Liruliniel sighed, "That isn't an answer. It's fine, I can wait for it." She smiled and shook her head.

"Lark?!" Liruliniel turned and looked at the worried face of Tilda, smiling and going over she ruffled her hair fondly.

"That was brave of you. I do not know many who'd throw a plate in the face of an orc." Liruliniel said, trying to lighten her heart, yet she looked utterly shaken still. Of course she would be, Liruliniel guided her back inside, seeing Bofur had returned she felt relieved. She had hoped he hadn't had been cut down in the orc raid. "Where's your father?" She had noted, now everything was calm, Bard was nowhere in sight. The children exchanged a look, "Perhaps tell me all in a minute, we need to help our dwarf friend there, don't we?" She asked while the effort to turn the table back overtook more than it should've. Avoiding corpses of orcs didn't help, and Liruliniel disregarded them with a hollow look. "You are fine to do this?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Tauriel looked at her with a confused expression.

Liruliniel looked a little troubled, "A little piece of you goes into this. It is more than just healing. Healing a wound is easy, but..."

"It's fine, it will be fine. So shall he, trust me." Tauriel whispered, though it seemed like in part she was trying to convince herself.

Liruliniel just nodded and backed off, the children were all huddled together, and she looked them over for injuries. "Now will you tell me where your father is?"

"I saw him get captured." Bain said, he looked worriedly up at her, "The guards, they chased us, we split up and they got him."

Liruliniel held a patient hand up, his tone of voice was pitching. "Your father is strong; I am sure he is unharmed." Though no less clearly in prison, she thought with a quiet sigh. With narrowed eyes, she looked at the boy curiously. "Why were you two running?" It wasn't from the orcs, that was for sure.

"He has a black arrow," Sigrid explained, her tone low and her eyes looking around as if someone else would hear. Liruliniel straightened up at that and double took. "He does!"

"I'm not saying you're lying. I'm...shocked, I did not know any existed."

"He has the last one." Bain took up from where his older sister left off. "He intends to kill the dragon."

Liruliniel ran a hand down her face while blowing out a sigh. "It is his right, I suppose." She mused, finishing what his ancestor started, it seemed apt. "I take it he no longer has the arrow then?"

"He gave it to me, and I hid it." Bain said, his wide eyes looking up at her.

"Will you get our da?" Tilda and her small voice shook as she looked up from Sigrid's side. It was the look on her face which had Liruliniel's heart twisting painfully. It was the same look she imagined she had when she was told of her own father's demise.

"Your father can't kill a dragon while in a cell, can he?" Liruliniel said while hitching her sword in place, well, it hadn't exactly slipped while fighting, she was tinkering with it as a distraction. Though her words may have been a little sarcastic, even rhetorical.

"You will help him?!" Tilda's eyes lit up and she looked at her hopefully.

Liruliniel smiled, "It's what friends do, right?" The little girl looked content and overjoyed with being called a friend, Sigrid had to put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down while Bain looked equally thankful. "You will need to tell me where this prison is, I don't know this town."

Sigrid gave rather good directions while the other two went to help the dwarves with retrieving anything they could for getting out. They were leaving, much like the sounds of outside, everyone was leaving. This town was done for, and it was something Sigrid knew too from the look on her face. "What about you?"

"Hm?"

"You intend to help us, da too, but...staying here means..."

"Listen to me, Sigrid. I know the risks, and so does your father. Achievement in the most impossible tasks can be done by the most unlikely of people. I told your father that I would help this family, protect it even, haven't I done that so far? You are without means to get him, but I am not. At the moment, it is everyone for themselves out there, but you will have Tauriel with you, and she is one of my oldest friends. I could think of no one better to look out for you, while I retrieve your father from his cell. Trust me when I say, you will be fine. You and your family, you will live through this." Liruliniel said while having her hands gently on Sigrid's shoulders, she could feel the young woman shaking a little under her grasp, yet she stared at her earnestly as she listened to her speak.

"How...how can you say that?"

Liruliniel smiled softly, "I'm old, remember? I've seen a lot, and I have foresight. So, I know you'll live, because I know your family will prosper in Dale, once more like you should've from the very beginning." Sigrid's eyes widened and she looked startled by that while Liruliniel continued to smile. "You'll be fine, you're all tough children. Family stick together, and you'll all look out for each other, and see yourselves right. Now, I need to rescue your father. As I said, Tauriel will look out for you all, so will the dwarves." Liruliniel backed away from her while casting a look at the dwarves as they finished getting all they could, but they all nodded in agreement.

Liruliniel looked down when there was a tug on her tunic sleeve, Tilda looked at her with worried eyes. "Please come back."

"Oh, I will. But I won't be coming back alone, pinig."

Tilda tilted her head, "What does that mean?"

Liruliniel let out a quiet laugh, "It means 'little one'." This had Tilda both exclaiming yet looking chuffed by the nickname, she was adamant she wasn't little, but her siblings let out quiet laughs.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Liruliniel looked at Tauriel. She was giving her one of those looks, Tauriel knew there was zero point in trying to talk her out of this rescue mission, but also, how could she? Bard gave her a warm enough reception, listened to her, allowed her to stay, he was a good man and Liruliniel couldn't let a good man die, not without a chance of freedom first.

Liruliniel tried to be as disjointed as possible, it was not an easy thing to do; not with the panicked screams happening around her, the oncoming wings beating the air making low thrums and a wind flicker throughout the town. She jumped and hopped from rooftop to rooftop again, more panicked screams echoed below her, and all she could do was inhale slowly and hope they managed to get to a boat and escape. It seemed it was what most were doing, she could hear the oars in the water, frantic splashing to accompany the equally frantic calls of the people around.

Shaking her head, she skidded along a roof and took a breath, she looked up at the dark sky. It was fully night now, the thick grey clouds were blocking the moon for the moment, but even without the full light Liruliniel could see it. She could see him, an ominous large shape, larger than what she could imagine and all she saw was a shadowy outline. Smaug dwarfed the town around her, easily so.

Liruliniel breathed steadily, she had seen him in visions but much like when reality comes knocking, it was too much. Smaug was just yet another horror she had seen and would encounter in her life, add him to the list as it were. Shaking her head again, she came out of her thoughts and looked towards the jail. Much like most of the buildings present, it was a poky thing. Dingy with a sagging roof and barred windows, naturally to keep whomever in without a chance of escape.

Another beat of leathery wings caught her attention, and she couldn't help but side eye where the dragon was. Liruliniel was determined to try and keep Smaug in sight as much as she could. But the dragon wasn't stupid, far from it. He was staying just out of reach, out of proper sight. Much like any great predator, he was scoping out the situation, the town and those panicking within. He was probably circling several times from different heights, not only to frighten, but to proper gauge what and where he could attack first.

And he would attack. Liruliniel had seen fire in many a dream, and she had even felt it. She knew she was here when the fire ripped through the buildings, rendering everything to ash. She knew she would be here, she had foreseen it, and she had the option, yes, to escape and to not look back. But Bard, dear, stern and serious Bard, how could she abandon him to this fate? How could she face his children knowing she had not helped?

Liruliniel was not custom to abandoning those which as yet weren't lost. And Bard wasn't lost; he was just locked away. She could get him, they could get out, from there? She hadn't a clue. He evidently had a plan, kill the dragon, yes, fine she could get behind that completely, but logically; what was the percentage of success here? Bard had one black arrow, which Liruliniel did not even know where it was. Bain seemed adamant to keep the secret of its hiding place. But without it, how could anyone succeed?

That still didn't solve the fact that one arrow was probably not going to be enough. Liruliniel inhaled slowly, the air was cold, crisp but heavy with anticipation, everyone was waiting for the inevitable. Scampering and stopping, she balanced her way across a beam connecting to the prison roof. Her earlier thoughts still lingered though, Girion had copious arrows and still failed. Could Bard honestly succeed with one arrow? He'd have to be extremely sure, even she knew of the tales of Smaug having a missing scale. But a dragon's scale, not matter the animal, it was still a very small target.

Managing to climb down the side of the building, she was thankful there was a small ledge running the perimeter of the building or else, she'd be lost here. "Bard! Bard!" Liruliniel's voice made him jump, he stopped yanking at the bars which made up the door. He turned so quickly it had his hair whipping him in the face, yet he charged over to her.

"Lark, but why? How?" Bard had even caught onto her simple nickname suggestion for his daughter. His hands wrapped around the bars of the window and pulled, Liruliniel shook her head. She had already tried to dislodge them; they were going nowhere. "My children-?"

"The orcs came, but a dear friend of mine aided in protecting them. She is with them now, along with the dwarves. Trust me when I say, Tauriel will guard them with her life if needed. I said I would try and help you out, I promised them even. So, shall we try and get you out?" Liruliniel asked while looking around the window, how she wished for a piece of broken wood to already be present. It would've made things so much easier, as it was, he was stuck.

"The guards have gone, there's no keys." Bard explained while watching her pull at the bars again, she looked frustrated. He hadn't really seen that expression on her face, not since her first appearance and trying to talk to Thorin. He always thought elves were so placid faced, expressionless, that's always the impression he and those of this town were given. Yet no, Liruliniel was very expressive, he had learned that much by now.

"We need to get you out, Bard. Can you wedge the door off the hinges at all?" Liruliniel opted to ask, there was a rough bunk in the small space, she was just thinking out loud.

"Move." Bard's eyes widened, Liruliniel was about to ask him what he meant before letting out a yell and pushing herself against the wall. It was of very little protection from the fire which suddenly came hailing down from above. Bard had seen it, he had seen the dragon come circling around and coming low, the glow of his chest signalling full well what was about to happen. "Lark! Are you-?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Liruliniel turned and with an equally horrified face looked at the burning trail of fire which had ripped through the town. She could hear the screams, the agonised wails of those caught in the flames and perishing slowly within. Yet Smaug simply looped in the dark sky, a black figure looking darker against the night.

"You need to leave," Bard said while she looked at him sharply.

"Thank you for trying to be a knight in armour as it were, but no. I am not leaving you. We're getting you out, together we will think of something. Now come on, let's do this!" Liruliniel appreciated him and his gentlemanly moment, but she wasn't leaving him.

The attempt at wedging the door, didn't work. Bard even ushered her out the way and tried hitting the window bars free, it didn't work. Turning and looking, they both seemed to come to the same conclusion at the same time. Sharing a knowing look, Bard plucked up the rough blanket from the bunk and started tearing into it. Liruliniel did offer one of her knives through the window, but he just shook his head. It wasn't worth it; the blanket was so worn it took little effort to tear it apart.

It took even less to tie and bond it all together, pieces linking and wrapping around each other to fashion a loop. Handing it over to her, she easily bought it through the bars of the window and let it go. All the while, the screams and the dragon continued on. Each time it circled and swooped down, more fire came forth. With the fire came more screams and more destruction. The town behind her, from what Bard could see, barely resembled the home he knew and grew up in. He could see charred embers of roofs, hollowed out burning buildings, the occupants of which were unknown to their fate. He didn't know if anyone could survive that. He could hear people on the river, the paddling sounds and calls echoed up to them and he was sure some survivors would come from this assault.

Liruliniel winced when some fire stretched beside herself, the arching flames soared upwards in the upbeat of Smaug's wings. Because of how low he came, she saw full well just what this dragon was truly like. Her mouth fell open slightly, he was ginormous, truly the biggest serpent she had ever seen. Orangey in colour, burnt terracotta in other places, especially his wings seemed a darker hue to the rest of his body, he was impressive; she couldn't say he wasn't, because he truly was. Liruliniel was at a loss, this dragon possibly killed those which went to the Mountain, that much she realised as her eyes stung with tears, not just from the smoke but that realisation.

"Lark!" Bard had been calling her name a few times, "Look at me, listen to me, you said it yourself that we would get out of this, tell me if anyone is coming." Bard's hands wrapped around the bars and his dark eyes looked at her calmly. Liruliniel's eyes were wide, glassy and distant. Bard couldn't say he blamed her, but also it was a look of someone who had seen this before, along with other horrors. He could not imagine all that she had seen in her life, but this scared her. He didn't blame her, at all.

Blinking and wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she nodded and ducked down. "Yes!" She straightened up and smiled, "You may laugh at who it is." Liruliniel raised an eyebrow and from the sudden gargled noises, Bard couldn't help but sigh as the loop became tight and he let it go from his hands and stepped back. Even Liruliniel backed off to the side and jumped up onto the roof as part of the wall came clean off from the exertion against it.

Bard stepped back out and watched as the Master struggled, gasping and choking against the deck of his rather laden barge. It was clear what his priorities were, getting himself and his treasure out before worrying about any of his people. Bard looked up, Liruliniel was hunkered down on her haunches looking upwards, the wind and smoke blowing each which way with the fanning of large wings. She jumped and hunched her shoulders when fire suddenly appeared ripping through the town from behind her.

"Come on," Bard gestured a hand to her, not that he was expecting her to take it, and she didn't. She jumped down with all the elegance of a cat and followed after him.

"You want to kill Smaug, don't you? Bain told me, but he also told me you had a black arrow. Normal weaponry is not going to do anything, Smaug is...well, Smaug." Liruliniel didn't quite know where she was going with that sentence, she just knew that normal arrows weren't going to cut it.

Yet she followed him to the armoury of the town, she wasn't surprised no one was trying to take a stand. It was clear Esgaroth was lost. Most of it was burning brightly, a beacon in the clear night sitting in the middle of an icy river. Being near the window, she merely sighed when he hit up and broke the slates away from the roof. Liruliniel merely climbed upwards and joined him.

"We can go, I can take you to your children, Bard. This is not your responsibility, the failures of your ancestor do not fall to you to put right." She said honestly, hoping he'd agree.

"You have seen the future. Can you, or have you foreseen a future where we are all able to live peacefully with Smaug in the world? If he has lost the Mountain, he will look elsewhere; he may even come to your woods. Where will you go then? There is no going anywhere, Lark."

"You are speaking as if the dwarves succeeded. We do not know if they did or didn't. With Smaug out here I can only presume the outcome was not good, and he is smart enough to figure everything out and know where the dwarves got aid from. This is revenge. This is revenge in its purest form, Bard. There is no distinguishing, you are right, but as yet he does not look to the woods. He looks to purging the world of those that have wronged him, and he is doing this right now. You need that black arrow, Bard. But Bain would not tell me where it is. Without it...the goal you have set yourself will end in failure, and I am too stubborn to leave you."

Bard stood in front of her on the roof, the fire all around them illuminating them both brightly. But their figures were so small, that Smaug paid no mind when he flew close by and unleashed more fire, this time destroying some of the bridges when he saw many forms running across them. Those people were just trying to escape, to get free from this inferno, and Smaug killed them for it.

Regardless, the fire made her hair seem on par in colours, her eyes looked fiercely at him. Bard sighed, the distance and worry from earlier dissipated to determination, that much he could tell. Yet he shook his head, put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I will not ask you to stay. This is my choice." He said while looking at her earnestly.

"I don't abandon my friends. You're coming with me, even if I have to drag you." Liruliniel said while straightening up and looking at him blankly.

He tilted his head; there was that airy countenance he was waiting for. "We need to get to higher ground." He looked around, on the ruined horizon and pointed. "There, we go there." He nudged her gently by the shoulder, Liruliniel looked at the watchtower and nodded.

"Agreed. That seems like a fine place to have a last stand." She said while jumping and sliding down the slating of the roof, she easily kicked off at the last minute and landed on the other roof. She turned and waited; Bard didn't have the agility of an elf. Liruliniel aided him where and when he needed it, and he thanked her quietly each time.

"Never know, we may do it." He commented in reply to her last remark.

She scoffed, "Yes, and I may learn to fly like a bird in the air." She waved a hand in the air and dispelled smoke from in front of her face. The ringing of the bell in the watchtower was growing ever louder. Stopping suddenly on a roof, she put a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me though Bard, if at any point this seems more lost than it already is, you will come with me. I am not leaving you, nor am I returning to your children without you. I would not be able to look at myself or live with myself if I did. I do not care for my own preservation, but yours and your family's? Yes, I care immensely."

"May I ask why? Seems, as you said, this could end like everything around us; why do you not take those same feelings and keep them for yourself and your life?"

"Events which happen in these lands are bigger than me, and I cannot spend every waking minute thinking and running off if things do not look totally lost. This town is lost, the people are lost, and I refuse to lose you in the fire, Bard. You are my friend, as I have said, and I mean it, I will drag you to safety. I care for these lands, and the people within them, no matter who they are, I always have done. Events such as this effect everyone, not just you." Liruliniel explained while they made their way forwards again. Both paused and ducked down though when Smaug drifted low and by closely, the low rumbling growl coming from him seemed so utterly deafening in the air as his chest glowed once more.

Pressing on was easy enough, Smaug was too busy with destroying the town to care about two figures running quickly over the roofs. Liruliniel was surer footed, Bard was a little uncertain yet followed after her. Her vision and hearing were better than his, she could see a safe way to the watchtower, likewise she could hear above the screaming of the people remaining to know where the dragon was. To Bard he heard Smaug just as he was close and within range, but a few times in running Liruliniel would point in the air and Bard would look, his dark eyes watching as her finger pointed at the winged beast. At the moment she was definitely a huge asset to him.

Bard took a stand on the main platform, Liruliniel standing on the slanted roof. Inhaling slowly, she shut her eyes, the screams still echoed up into the air, the panic, the fear, the absolute horror rung in her ears. And then there was the smoke, the acrid thickness, clogging her throat and assaulting her nose with the stench of burning wood, as well as flesh.

It was something which was engrained in her memory, she had faced something akin to this before, but not in a town. The dragon itself though, "I was wrong." She said, Bard peeked up and around the roof slightly to look at her puzzled. She stood there staring at the roaring dragon as he poured more fire into the town. "I have not faced serpents like this before. Smaug is something else entirely." She whispered honestly, yet Bard still heard her, even above all the noise and panic.

Smiling lightly, she looked to him. "I hope your aim is good, Bard. Can't have me taking the credit of killing the dragon, can we?" She joked hollowly, Bard appreciated her attempt at well, trying to take the huge seriousness off the moment. But ultimately it didn't work.

He pulled his arrows from the quiver, whereas Liruliniel adjusted her footing and pulled Azkâr from her shoulder and grasped her first arrow, waiting for Smaug to loop around. Honestly, for an animal so large he was very able to contort in the air and twist about, his large tail whipping behind himself as he righted himself. His wings tucking against his body as he sailed upwards, before diving back down to the ground and opening his mouth wide, the red glow of the fire made it almost blinding to look at, and that was even before the flames had come forth.

Once it had, it was brighter than the sun, Liruliniel swore. Squinting her eyes and lifting up her arms, she easily fired and tilted her head, Bard shot at a similar time and both their arrows skidded off the dragon. She knew it was pointless, but the attempts of the mortal below her had her trying again. They needed that arrow. Even if the attempt ended in failure, they still needed it.

Bard cut the rope of the bell, it now falling silent as he braced a foot against the wooden railing of the watchtower. He shot and watched the arrow fly off and fall downwards into the fire below. Liruliniel was no longer shooting, she was wasting arrows now and it was becoming fruitless. Shutting her eyes she went to lean down and talk to him, only for Bard to exclaim her name and her to scream.

Smaug had come in low and close, very close, to the point that he knocked against the watchtower and the wind from his wings had Liruliniel's already unsure footing from his nudge, to fully go now. She fell; he tried to scramble through the bars of the railing to grasp onto her in some way. He too had fallen from the hit, but he could see she had not fallen far. She managed to grasp onto one of the railings of the staircase, with ease she hauled herself up and over, just as Bain appeared through the trapdoor near Bard.

Liruliniel had just about got her footing and was running up the stairs, nearing the end she grasped the rickety railing and gritted her teeth as Smaug ripped the roof clean off. She continued running, seeing poor Bain laying stricken on the floor as Bard stood holding the arrow in his hands. "You realise we have his attention?" Bard looked from the arrow to her, Liruliniel sighed slowly. "Look about you, Bard. Everything Smaug has done, it is calculated; he has burned the bridges, he has burned the boats...even with people trying to get in them, he has burned nearly every house and building present; everything is for a reason. He hadn't paid mind to the watchtower until we were here. He knows we are here. You need to ready yourself, but you also need him near or facing you." Liruliniel said while sighing and patting her sides before stepping forwards.

"What are you doing?!" Bard looked at her with wide eyes.

Liruliniel paused, she smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "I believe I am bait."

"What?! No, that is absurd! You can't go out there and think you can outrun him!" Bard exclaimed grasping her hand off his shoulder and holding her wrist tightly. "You cannot do something so reckless. You wished so much to protect and to get me out, and you are going to do this?" Bard's dark eyes just stared at her unblinkingly.

"But you have the arrow now, so it will be fine." Liruliniel said while patting his arm, he let her arm go and she sighed slowly. "Trust me, and yourself there, Bard." Liruliniel jumped off and away before he could say anything. She shook her head with a small smile though, it seemed she just got a lecture.

But Bard needed to prepare to shoot an arrow, with well, something. Smaug knew they were shooting from the watchtower; did Bard honestly think the dragon wouldn't come and target there specifically? It was literally only a matter of time. Liruliniel was fine for playing distraction, she supposed. Truthfully, she was doing this before she fully registered it.

Rolling her eyes she climbed upwards to a sturdier looking rooftop and flicked her eyes sidelong, she could see Smaug, fire erupting from his mouth as he changed his body position and came to land. His large body all but crashed against the remnants of the town. What buildings that may have escaped being burned, were now well and truly crushed underneath his form.

Liruliniel whistled, she scrunched her nose up, that was stupid, she thought yet looked blankly upwards when a very serpentine neck twisted and a face was looking in her direction. Smaug's eyes were alight, fiery like the flames around them, his clawed hands gripped and crushed buildings beneath himself as he turned to look at her properly. There was a long inhale, "So, the elves too are in on this? Now, that is a surprise." Liruliniel shuddered, his voice felt like it was creeping up her spine and slithering into her ears. Such a low, menacing voice suited something of his calibre.

"I act alone, dragon." She said while looking over her shoulder, she could see Bard doing something.

"Ah," came an exclaiming sound dripping in sarcasm. "Not so alone it seems, elf. Are there more of you around?" Smaug lifted his head and seemed to scan the surroundings, even sniffing lowly to see if he could sniff out anymore elves. "It appears not, you are rather a long way from home, are you not?" His voice dipped low, uncaring as to the answer regardless of his musing question. "Perhaps I will pay it a visit too."

Liruliniel raised an eyebrow, "Did you kill the dwarves?"

"You care for Oakenshield? Did I burn him, did I not? Did him and the rest of his wretched kin finally meet their long overdue fate? I do wonder." Smaug spat and tilted his head, eyes narrowing as a claw scraped against the tiling of a roof.

The sound made her teeth go on edge, pushing her tongue against the back of them, Liruliniel stood steadfast. "Revenge is pointless, I have seen you die." Liruliniel said rather nonchalantly and noticing the darkened look in the dragon's eyes.

"Revenge has served its purpose." Smaug corrected with his head bowing. "I grow tired of this conversation." He said while Liruliniel could see his chest slowly start to glow. "I have seen you die, will see you die, right now, elf." Before he even had a chance to shoot fire her way, Liruliniel duck and dove, climbed and ran through the ruined remains of the town and board ways.

There was a screeching roar, fire licking at her heels and Liruliniel ended up opting to dive into the frigid waters, she swam underwater for what felt like a long time before resurfacing with a cough. Spluttering and splashing, she swam towards a wharf, somehow it had survived, and she hauled herself up and onto it. Rolling onto her back she curled up pathetically and cried out quietly when Smaug was crawling and clambering a little too close to her; roof tiles and pieces of boarding chipped and fell against her, some even still alight as he conversed with Bard.

Well, she got the dragon looking his way at least but the conversation was one-sided in the sense that Smaug didn't say too much that differed from when he spoke to her, and nor did Bard reply. The mention of killing Bain however, even Liruliniel picked her head up slowly at that to see Smaug soon commence running forwards.

It was more of a slithering crawl than an actual run, but the roar which came from him had her clasping her hands over her ears as she stood up slowly, chipped tiles and wood falling from her person as she did so. Looking to the side, she climbed upwards, the dragon being far enough away now for her to watch as the impact of the arrow had him recoiling, with a startled noise and a wheeze, Smaug went careering upwards into the air with struggled breaths and growling.

She watched his form stop moving, watched as it fell, but she was also looking to where the watchtower was. He had knocked it down during his plight. "Bard? Bain?" Liruliniel called out worriedly, a small face sprung up first, and she was relieved to see the boy was in one piece. His father wasn't too far behind, smoky and shocked, but in one piece too. "You did it."

"You sound surprised. Weren't you the one that mentioned trust?" Bard quirked an eyebrow and looked behind himself as the rest of the watchtower seemed to give way and went fully collapsing backwards.

"I had faith and trusted you...just...it's immense."

Bain nodded in agreement yet got a hand to the shoulder by his father, directing him away and to finding a boat which could get them out of here. Liruliniel was on the boy's other side, looking at his father with a small but relieved smile. "Where will we go?" Bain asked, which was a good point.

"Everyone would've evacuated to the shoreline, we go there, and we find your sisters." Bard replied while the three of them scrambled about the wreckage of the town.

"I will find Tauriel too. I do not know where her path leads now."

"What about yours?" Bard asked, he managed to find a small boat, somehow miraculously it was fine, and he watched Bain get in before gesturing to Liruliniel. She hopped in too and sat down, her hands in her lap as she looked confusedly at him. "Well, you are achieving what you set out for; you're getting me out of here."

Liruliniel scoffed, wiping a hand across her forehead, she couldn't help but shake her head slowly. "Yes, at last." Pausing she watched the town and the fires burning within become steadily more distant the more the boat was rowed away. "My path...my path leads to finding out if Thorin is truly dead, or whether the dwarves have reclaimed the Mountain." Liruliniel looked worriedly at her lap. "Either scenario could have repercussions which will play out, diverging and dramatic."

"You're speaking in riddles." Bain commented with a quiet huff.

Liruliniel looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, friend. Just, musing aloud. Here, let me help row."

"Ever rowed a boat before?" Bain asked with a sceptical look.

"No. But there is a first for everything!" Liruliniel exclaimed with a clap of her hands. Bain shook his head yet relented. The moment didn't last long as it was discovered she had very poor control. Sitting and being a passenger meant she could look around and truly view everything, dawn was coming and with dawn came the sun; the fires were still burning and probably would for quite some time. The growing warmth of the sun was welcomed though, especially to Liruliniel who was still wet, but also with rowing through smoky air, covered in dirt and dust again.

However, when it came to reaching land seeing how quickly it took for people to turn on each other, was surprising to Liruliniel. She had parted ways from Bard and Bain, for the sake of finding her friends. It didn't take much, the two elves being away from the rabble which were all shouting at Alfrid, Liruliniel was confused before she realised it was the Master's horrid friend. Scrunching her nose up, she picked up her pace and ran towards her friends. Tauriel for one double took, a look of utter relief on her face whereas Legolas just watched her stoically.

"It does not take them long to turn, does it?"

"Legolas, a dragon just destroyed all they had, and all they had known; do not judge them for finding one to truly blame." Liruliniel said while stopping before them, what went on between the mortals was of no concern, in a way. Truthfully, she'd rather they didn't hang someone, but she couldn't intervene there. Looking to Tauriel, Liruliniel smiled. "Thank you for looking after the children. That was a position I probably shouldn't have forced on you."

Tauriel smiled lightly, she shook her head and put a hand against Liruliniel's shoulder. "It was of no trouble. Tell me, are you hurt?" Tauriel was scanning her worriedly, Liruliniel smiled and shook her head. She may ache a little, be a bit smoky and damp, but she was not hurt. Tauriel for one let out a relieved sigh, Legolas's expression did flicker slightly too.

"You followed the orcs, when they fled Esgaroth. Tell us, you must have discovered something?" Liruliniel did not believe for one second that Legolas hadn't found information out, only, it wasn't the information she thought she'd hear.

"The orc I pursued out of Lake-town, I know who he is; Bolg, spawn of Azog the Defiler. A pack were waiting for him on the outskirts of Esgaroth. They fled into the north." Legolas explained, quietly so none of the people around could hear. Not that they were likely to understand, they were all still shaken from Smaug. But he explained this as the trio commenced walking through the makeshift little camp which had been put up already. "These orcs were different from the others; they wore a mark I had not seen for a long time. The mark of Gundabad."

"Gundabad?" Tauriel turned and looked at him seriously, them having now stopped and were letting this information sink in.

"An orc stronghold in the far north of the Misty Mountains." Legolas said, clocking sight of Liruliniel as her eyes slid shut, her stomach had dropped. The mere mention of Gundabad had her feeling sick, her stomach churning as she tried to just block out that place. It was a place of nightmares, death and Liruliniel would've been happy to never have heard of that place ever again.

She had wondered where her path would lead now, and for the life of her, she knew she couldn't go there. If her friends intended to go there, she could not follow. She could try and force herself, to see the place in which her father and brother died...she couldn't do it. She may be brave, but she was not that brave. Luckily her thoughts were cut short by the sound of an elven voice, soft yet commanding attention.

The three of them looked at the elf upon the horse, Thranduil was asking for Legolas's return. But Tauriel was being banished, the look on Tauriel's face was stricken, Liruliniel beside her looked utterly shocked. She herself had not been mentioned; did Thranduil believe she was still with the dwarves, perhaps even possibly perished with them? Her heart wrenched at the thought of that. The heartache and pain he would be feeling, the uncertainty of it all, Liruliniel felt guilt and sadness. She had hurt Thranduil, accidentally of course, but she had, she knew it.

"You may tell my father, if there is no place for Tauriel then there is no place for me." Legolas boldly stated while looking steadfastly at the messenger.

Tauriel slipped from Liruliniel's side and approached Legolas. "Legolas, it is your King's command."

"Yes, he is my King, but he does not command my heart." Legolas said quietly, looking almost embarrassedly down at the floor. Liruliniel, who was still within earshot put a hand to her chest, the dread from earlier was being replaced by this warmth, this wholesome feeling of just watching the pair of them. "I ride north, will you come with me?" Legolas picked up walking again, sharing a look with Liruliniel as he passed her. He just nodded, seemingly understanding her reasons for staying rooted to the spot. She was not going to grace Gundabad with her presence, she could've tried to stop them both...but she knew it would be pointless, they'd both still go.

Instead, she just turned away from the messenger, scratching her forehead and sighing softly, she made her way through the gathered people. Some looked a bit confused as to why she hadn't gone with her friends, would they understand the need to avoid stepping foot somewhere? Probably. She wasn't going to explain herself anytime soon. Instead, she found the small family unit which she had come to know. Tilda looked up with wide eyes, this being the first time seeing Liruliniel since parting ways in Smaug's attack.

"Told you so," she whispered, Tilda beaming up at her as Liruliniel was happy to see the girl so chuffed. She had told she'd be back, and not alone. "I will aid you all to Dale. Do you need anything carried?" Liruliniel offered, she could probably carry heavier things than any of them, yet they shook their heads. Clearly all that was stashed in their boat, was rendered lost or useless. With a sigh, Liruliniel walked beside the small girl as they commenced the long walk from the shoreline camp.

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Edited: 10/July/2025