I sat against the wall of the boat, next to my brother. The others stood around, and Balin was collecting money to give to Bard.
"Is your headache gone?" Damon whispered and I nodded even though it was worse than before.
Fog has settled across the lake, and it was hard to see. We came upon ruins and Bard swiftly dodged them.
"Are you trying to kill us?" Thorin asked.
"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. Even if I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." He answered.
Dwalin was saying mean things about our driver and Bilbo was trying to defend him as Thorin leaned against the boat on the other side of me.
"We do not have to like him. We simply just have to pay him." Balin said, "Now, come on lads, turn out your pockets."
"How do we know he will not betray us?" Dwalin whispered to Thorin.
"We do not." Thorin answered.
"We have a problem." Balin said, "We are ten coins short."
"Gloin, come on. Give it up." Thorin commanded.
"Don't look to me," Gloin responded, "I have been bled dry by this fitcher."
I looked up and saw something amazing. And the others noticed it, too. We started to ignore him and I stood up to get a better view. It was the mountain.
Bard jumped down and came towards us, "The money. Quick! Give it to me."
"We will pay you when we get off this boat." Throin replied.
"If you value your freedom you will do as I tell you." Bard said. "There are guards ahead."
We looked through the fog and faintly saw a town ahead. Lake-town. We paid Bard, and he had us get into the barrels and he went onto a dock. I did not have enough barrels, as it floated down the river when I fell out, so Thorin had me share with him. He sat against the side and I sat in between his legs. As we sat, waiting for Bard, Bilbo told us exactly what he was doing.
"He is selling us out." Dwalin hissed before fish was poured into the barrels.
We listened to the conversation outside, and when a man ordered for the barrels to be emptied, I grabbed Thorin's hand and he squeezed mine, to help calm me down. But then, the man told the guards to stop. We then continued into the town. We once again stopped and we got out of the barrels. We followed Bard throughout the town until a child stopped him,
"Da. Our house, it's being watch." Bard's child said.
Bard came up with a plan to get us inside his house. We had to go through his toilet. Exciting. Not really. When we heard his son, Bain, knock on the wall, Dwalin went up,
"If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off."
We all went inside the house and climbed the stairs, "Da, why are there dwarves climbing through our toilet?" A girl asked.
"Will they bring us luck?" A smaller girl questioned.
The older girl, Sigrid, mad a fire and gave us some blankets so we would warm up and the youngest, Tilda, gave us some clothes.
"It may not be the best fit, but it will keep you warm." Bard said.
"Thank you." I told the young girl as she handed me a dress.
Sigrid led me to her and her sister's room and I changed there. When I finished, I put my trousers and tunic out to dry. When I came back into the room, Bard set weapons onto the table.
"What is this?" Thorin asked as he picked up a large stick with four hooks on it.
He told us what each weapons was and Gloin spoke up, "We paid you for weapons. Swords, bows, hammers, not this."
"It is a joke!" Bofur exclaimed before throwing his 'weapon' back onto the table.
Damon grabbed a spear and examined it, "It is not the best. But it will work."
Bard then told us that we could not leave. That people were watching the house, and will alert the Master if they see us. So we had no choice. I sat on the sofa with Damon and Kili, resting my head on Damon's shoulder and holding Kili's hand. We were at the house for awhile, and Bard left. Then we began to leave, but Bain tried to stop us and we walked past him.
There was an armoury in the town, so we snuck are way to the building. By the time we got there, it was dark. Some of the dwarves started piling themselves up towards a window so we would be able to get in.
"Once we get the weapons, we'll head straight to the mountain."
"Go." Thorin whispered and Nori ran before climbing into the window and Bilbo was next.
Once we were all in, we started collecting the weapons. I put a new sword in my sheath and strapped a bow onto my back along with extra arrows. I was strapping a small dagger onto my inner thigh when I heard many things drop.
"Kili?!" I exclaimed and I ran down the steps to help the young dwarf when I felt someone grab me and a blade was held against my neck. Kili and I were hauled up the stairs and I was thrown towards Thorin and he caught me before I fell. He held my hand as we were taken to the middle to the town, the guards surrounded us, and behind them was the civilians. Two guards opened a door and a man with thin red hair came out,
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"Caught them stealing weapons, sire." A guard answered.
"Ah, enemies of the state, then?" The man asked.
"A desperate bunch of mercenaries if there were any, sire." A short man in a funny hat said.
"Hold your tongue." Dwalin replied, and stepped forward, "You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal, this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!"
Thorin let go of my hand and walked forwards and next to Dwalin, "We are dwarves of Erebor."
There were murmurs withing the crowd and I looked at the people. Some looked scared, and some were intrigued.
"We have come to reclaim our homeland." Thorin said and people became silent, "I remember this town from the Great Days of Old. Fleets of boats in the harbour, filled with silk and fine gems," Thorin turned to the crowd of people,"This was not a forsaken town on a lake, this was the center of all trade in the North."
People nodded their heads in agreement.
"Where is he going with this?" Damon whispered to me.
"No clue." I replied.
"I will see those days return. I will relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!" Thorin exclaimed, getting the crowd excited and turned to the Master of Laketown.
"Death! That is what you will bring upon us!" Bard exclaimed as he made his way through the people and the guards and up to Throin, "Dragon fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all."
"You can listen to this man, but I promise you this, if we succeed... all will share in wealth of the mountain." Throin replied and I smiled as people cheered, "You will have gold that will build this town ten times bigger!"
"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale? Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm? And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a Mountain King, so riveted by greed he cannot see beyond his own desire!" Bard said to the crowd and Thorin glared at him and Bard turned around to glare also.
"Now, now," The Master of Laketown pointed at Bard, "We must not, any of us, be too quick lay blame. Let's not forget that it was the Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!"
"It's true, sire." The short man replied, "We all know the story. Arrow after arrow, he shot. Each one missing its mark."
Bard stepped closer to Thorin, "You have no right to enter that mountain."
"I have the only right." Thorin replied.
Thorin turned to the Master of Laketown, "I speak to the Master of the men of the lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people?" He asked.
"I say unto you...welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome, Thorin, King Under the Mountain!" He answered and the people of Laketown cheered.