Of course the only way to reach to the reach the front gates of Erebor was to pass through Dale. Bard deflated a little, he had wanted to keep the wounded prince out of sight until he managed to get the dwarf back to his people.
'I suppose there is really no way around it' he thought quietly.
The bow man let out a sigh and started to walk once more.
"Lord Bard."
It wouldn't have mattered if the voice were softer than it already was, the bow man jumped in surprise at the undetected presence, the reaction earned him a small whine of protest from the sleeping dwarf in his arms.
"I'm sorry." he whispered down apologetically to the still dormant dwarf.
Slowly Bard turned around and found both Lord Elrond and Prince Legolas approaching him.
'Well, I could have run into worse people actually.' he mused.
Both elves seemed to halt their footsteps when they saw who exactly the son of man was carrying.
Bard found it rather amusing that elves could be completely stoic about nearly everything and sometimes when you expected them not to react at all, they did.
Legolas's eyes had blown wide, but the bow man quickly realized that the elf wasn't shocked that it was the young prince, but more so he was already assessing his injuries, and spotted the arrow wound to the dwarf's throat.
Elrond regained his composure as soon as he had lost it, and calmly closed the gap between them with his natural long stride.
The human silently watched as elven king placed his left hand upon the dwarf's temple, and closed his eyes in what appeared to be concentration.
Legolas had by this time snapped out of his surprise and was standing behind Elrond, waiting as the King of Rivendell checked the dwarf over.
Elrond opened his eyes suddenly revealing a bit of bewilderment that turned to relief, pulling his hand away when he saw two blue eyes staring back up at him.
Fili was taking in his surroundings, he had already noted Bard and remembered that they were heading back to Erebor, obviously he had already seen Elrond who towered over the bow man himself and of course himself, picked up or not.
Then his eyes landed on Legolas and the man's story from earlier came to his thoughts, he couldn't help but let out a snort.
Bard and the armor clad elf both cast their eyes down at the dwarf questioningly.
The bow man was able to catch the direction the prince had his eyes turned to, before they turned upwards and shifted from Lord Elrond, to Bard.
Elrond's face of course was completely stoic, as he stood silently watching him and casting a quick glance at the bow man who was too busy trying to figure out what the dwarf scoffed at, so he cast his attention back down at the dwarf waiting patiently.
Bard however...
He caught the confused yet intrigued look on Bard's face, furrowed eyebrows lifting with silent question.
Filli did not know why, but the sight of Bard's look of stupor, Elrond's perfect composure, face void of any emotion, and Prince Legolas' with his confused or more quickly growing irritated scowl, greatly amused him.
Another snort, his shoulders were shaking as he tried extremely hard to restrain himself. The only think keeping him from laughing right now was the fact that he still had an arrow lodged in his throat and he wanted to move his neck no more than necessary.
Bard shot the Rivendell King an confused glance but the reluctant smile that the man was trying to keep off his face made it obvious he was more amused than anything.
Fili watched as Bard turned his attention to Elrond, that puzzled yet for some reason smug look on his face, and arched an eyebrow in question as to if the elf knew what was so funny.
The sight of Bard the Bowman, Bard the Dragon Slayer, with one eyebrow raised and the other half-narrowed, was so damn hilarious, because it was so out of character.
He bit his tongue as he let out a couple poorly restrained giggles, wincing at the dull throbbing the action caused him.
Finally he managed to calm himself casting his eyes back up at them, the corners of his mouth lifting into a cheeky smile.
Bard melted at the face, the golden son of Durin's smile was absolutely adorable, whether he shot a wide grin or even just a smirk. Then of course there were those beautiful blue eyes staring back up them, they certainly didn't make him look any more viscous.
He found himself smiling back down at the cheeky face, and he was a bit surprised to see Lord Elrond send the dwarf a warm friendly smile in return as well.
"Luck seems to be on your side Prince Fili." he spoke calmly, Fili just blinked and nodded slowly.
"Elrond." Bard ackowledged with a polite bow of his head before he turned his back to them, getting ready to head up to the dwarven city.
"Would you like me to inform the other dwarves?" Legolas offered.
Bard glanced over at the blond elf for a moment, pondering over that thought for a moment before he shook his head.
"No, that won't be necessary Prince Legolas. I was going to take him up there myself. Thank you." Bard finished with a grateful nod.
The elf nodded in response and turned to Elrond who watched the bowman's back retreat down the pathway through Dale.
"How did he look to you?" the younger elf questioned as he came to stand beside him.
Elrond turned his head to give Legolas his attention, he seemed to have to think for a brief moment before the blond received a response.
"I think he will be fine, young Legolas. I do think that the dwarfling is extremely lucky. If that shot could have been any more precise, he would have lost his ability to breath. That arrow tip needs to be removed immediately before it can do any non-repairable damage."
Legolas nodded silently having registered what was just said, he turned his back and went off in search for his companion and quite possibly try to avoid his father for at least one more evening.