A/N This is set in the movieverse b/c I haven't read the books in forever and I don't remember important details, plus I like the movie version of the characters in this story (mainly Bain and his family). I really like the character Bain and felt that he should get his own story, but to give him a story I liked I had to change stuff: along with the dwarves and Biblo on the quest I created two humans that are with the company thanks to Gandalf. Most everything else is the same up until where this story starts. Also, Kili was not hurt when the Orcs attacked them in the barrels but one of my OCs, Bryn was. The only one who knows though is Arran (her brother) until she starts getting really weak. If you have any questions about the OCs they will probably be answered later in the story.
Bain trudged slowly home through the icy streets, discreetly avoiding the guards that lined the streets. He knew that if he alerted any one of them to his presence he would be questioned thoroughly about his destination and the reason as to his outing in the first place due to the identity of his father. Bain knew that his father and the Master of Laketown had a dark history that had translated into present day. The Master had always been suspicious of Bard and for good reason too, especially now when his father was heading the protests and fueling the rumors that begged for elections and bad-mouthed the Master. Bain agreed with the ideas of his father but was worried for Bard's safety as did his sisters. Just that day, Bain had been keeping lookout for his father's barge, for they had expected him back two days ago and Sigrid was beginning to worry. Bain sometimes thought that was all she did. Worry, that is. Bain was cautious too, but believed in the cause his father worked towards and had faith that Bard would be careful enough to not get caught. After finally spotting his father's barge filled with barrels of fish, Bain had let out a great sigh of relief but also of curiosity. What was Bard up to now? He was no fisherman and therefore he had to be smuggling something into the town.
Bain was now sprinting home, hoping to reach their house in time to confront his father and help with whatever mad plan Bard had concocted. He reached the house in a state of disarray, sweaty and tired from the run home which consisted of dodging guards and ignoring those who questioned his mad dash to the house. He burst into the house where Tilda and Sigrid waited anxiously for news of their father.
"He's coming," was all Bain had to say to get their attention and the girls immediately rushed down a set of stairs to the dock by their house where they knew their father would soon arrive. Bain followed and watched as his father pulled up beside the dock with his barrels full of fish. He quickly assured the girls of his safety and then sent them back upstairs but motioned for Bain to stay. Excited, Bain questioned the intentions of his father. In response, Bard dumped the barrels over one by one. Dwarves came tumbling out, complaining of fatigue and the uncomfortable conditions they were subjected to. Bain stepped back, utterly shocked to his core.
"Da? What is this?" His father groaned in annoyance.
"We'll shelter them and arm them. Help me get them inside," Bard ordered and Bain could tell that his father was not keen on helping the fugitives.
"Da, there are spies watching the house," Bain informed him.
"Damn. The Master will be the death of me yet," Bard complained. The two of them then helped the dwarves climb into the home, each one crawling up soaking wet from the bathroom pipes. Bain grimaced in disgust, feeling bad for the dwarves climbing in the freezing dirty waters. His sisters looked on curiously, Sigrid wearing a nervous expression as if she expected an armed guard to barge into the house any moment. It was, in fact, a real possibility though and that was what scared Bain.
Bain saw with the dwarves a small, odd looking creature that he hadn't noticed before. It had large, bare feet, ruffled brown hair, and was called by the others 'Bilbo.' Bain nudged his father and inquired, "Da, what is that one?"
Being well traveled, Bard answered knowledgeably, "He's a Hobbit. From the Shire, a very distant land."
"Oh." Bain still wasn't exactly sure about the 'Hobbit' but the multitude of questions was soon swept away when he saw the final two members of the company emerge.
They were human.
There was a girl with them. Bain was shocked by this turn of events. What girl would be allowed on a quest? What girl would have the courage to do something like that? The only women Bain had ever been exposed to were his mother, may she rest in peace, his sisters, and some of the other village women, all of whom were worrying wimps. He had been taught that women were not supposed to fight or do hard work. He had learned over the years that that was his job: to protect those weaker than him. But this girl was different. She looked about his age and had long, wavy brown hair that tumble down her back, nearly reaching her knees. The girl wore loose fitting pants similar to his own, a thick coat lined with warm fur, a shirt made of rough fabric, and leather hunting boots. All in all, the girl is dressed eerily similar to Bain or any other boy in Laketown and it unnerved him. The boy with her appeared to be her twin and dressed the same. The girl caught Bain's gaze and he looked away, embarrassed to be caught staring.
"What? You've never seen a girl before?" she asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Bain was shocked and had never seen a girl behave this way before. That is not to say he didn't like it. In fact, Bain was sick of the pathetic girls populating his small town. He hated the way they refused to stick up for themselves and the way they cowered in fear, always expecting someone stronger to take care of them. Even Bain's own sisters would sometimes act weak and it bothered him.
Bain didn't reply to girl, just rolled his eyes and turned to his father asking for further instruction. After being told to help his sisters feed the group, Bain walked to the clear leader of the group.
"Would your company like something to eat? My father has gone to fetch your weapons," Bain said, his voice low, for they were still in earshot of the spies surrounding their home.
"Aye," the man answered gruffly, "What's your name, lad?" he then inquired as Bain led the party up the stairs and to the kitchen where Sigrid had begun to brew a pot of stew with the fish.
"Bain. That's my sister Sigrid," he answered, gesturing to the older girl who smiled in turn, and then to Tilda as he said, "and that's Tilda."
"Thank you for helping us," said the dwarf, "I'm Thorin." Bain's eyes widened in shock and he gulped reply.
"Thorin Oakenshield? The Thorin Oakenshield? Son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King Under the Mountain?"
"Yes. My company and I have set out on a quest aided by Gandalf the Grey in order to claim back what is our birthright."
"Woah," breathed Bain. Just then Sigrid finished setting out bowls at the table and the dwarves, hobbit, and humans dug in, eating rigorously as if they hadn't in days, which may have been the case.
Bain too had not eaten in many days, due to lack of food. The Master had been rationing less and less food to Bain's family because of his deep hatred for Bard and in order to keep Tilda healthy, Bain and Sigrid had agreed to give up their portions of food. The fish brought in by Bard that day was the first meal either had eaten since their father had left four days ago. Bain took a bowl, temporarily losing all manner and etiquette concerning guests, and sat down in the only empty seat with Sigrid. It happened to be next to the mysterious girl's brother. Across from Bain was the girl, who didn't even look up from her food to see Bain and Sigrid sit. They both finish off their soup ravenously in a matter of minutes.
"You eat like a starved man," observes the human boy next to Bain.
"So do you," Bain replied, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
"Aye. Life on the road doesn't leave much room for food."
Lowering his voice in hopes that Tilda won't hear, Bain tells the boy, "I stopped eating four days ago so my little sister would be fed enough."
The boys eyes raise in awe, "I know I would do the same for my sister," he says, looking protectively at the girl. "I'm Arran, by the way."
"Bain," he replied, though Arran would likely already know.
"Sorry about my sister, she can be a bit rude sometimes," Arran says and she looks up at him with a piercing glare.
"'She' is right here, ya know."
"Right. Sorry Bryn," Arran says.
"My name's Bryn. Nice to meetcha, Bain," she says with a strong accent that Bain cannot place, turning towards him and holding out a hand for him to shake. He takes it and finds that she has a strong, deathlike grip, a rarity for a girl.
But, then again, Bain wasn't expecting her to be anything like the typical girl.