Shadow: I'm sorry this update took so long, my computer is broken, so I had to borrow someone else's. But it is finally up now, I only own Elva, Isil, and Aerin. All other characters and plot belong to Tolkien, New Line Cinemas, and Peter Jackson. Enjoy!
Chapter 11: Laketown
Elva bared her teeth as she snarled at the soldiers. They reeled back in surprise as they pointed their weapons at her.
"I hope you are ready for this Bard." Elva said in his mind. "Command me to back down. As you would a common dog."
"Heel." Bard shouted at her.
The wolf woman stopped growling, pricked her ears at Bard, and trotted over to him like an obedient pet. She sat at his side with expectant eyes.
"What is that monster doing here?" Alfrid frowned, keeping well away from her.
"You bought me from a merchant wandering near the shore." The wolf woman told Bard to say.
"There was a merchant traveling along the shore to do trade with the Elves." Bard replied, using Elva's cue. "I purchased her as a guard dog. I have had some trouble with raiders before, and decided protection would be worth the cost. As for the fish; folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard, food is scarce."
"That's not my problem." Alfrid stated bluntly.
"And when the people hear the master is dumping fish back in the lake?" Bard snarled at the master's hand. "When the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?"
"Stop." Alfrid ordered with an angered glare at Bard. "Ever the people's champion, eh Bard? Protector of the common folk. You may be the people's favorite now, but it won't last. And keep that blasted creature muzzled when around here."
"Raise the gate!" Percy called to the gatemen.
"And I was worried you would lose your nerve. Elva glanced up at him. "I underestimated you, bowman."
"The master has his eye on you!" Alfrid snapped as the barge continued on. "You'd do well to remember, we know where you live!"
"It's a small town, Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard replied with a smirk before turning to Elva. "Warn him."
Elva glanced at Bard momentarily. He was selling the act a little too much for her. She shot him a glare as she turned to Alfrid and growled at him. When they were around the corner, the wolf woman relaxed and padded back to Bard.
"That was a little uncalled for." She gave him a sideways glance.
"Yes, but it made me feel better." Bard grinned at her.
He docked the barge before beginning to kick over the barrels.
"Watch it, bowman." Elva snarled at him, padding over angrily.
"You didn't see them, they were never here." Bard paid off the man nearby, ignoring her.
The wolf woman padded over to Bofur and sat down beside him.
"Something's fishy about this." He grinned.
"Yes, you." Elva nipped at him in good humour.
"Follow me." Bard ordered.
The company hastily sneaked through the town that seemed to float on the water. The scents of people, water, fish, and multiple other scents invaded Elva's nose. She could hardly tell one from another, making it impossible to know if an unwanted follower was nearby. A young boy ran towards the group, calling out Bard's title as father. The house was being guarded by The Master's men. The wolf woman curled her lips angrily.
"What do you expect us to do then, bowman?" She questioned, startling the young boy.
"What manner of sorcery is this?" The boy questioned warily.
"Just like his father." Elva quipped. "No black sorcery, powerful magic from the Valar. Now, what do you plan on doing, bowman?"
"You aren't going to like it." Bard replied with a peculiar look.
"It is better than being caught by this master person." The wolf women pressed.
"Sewers." Bard stated.
"Sewers?" Dwalin demanded. "There is no way…"
"Do you have any other bright ideas, master Dwalin?" Bilbo interrupted him. "Bard has brought us this far safely. I think it is time he earned a little trust from you lot."
"Our Hobbit is right." Elva nodded after a moment. "We go through the sewers."
Bilbo looked at her gratefully. Her support on the matter meant much to him. Thorin glanced at the Hobbit and the wolf woman.
"I agree with Bilbo and Elva." Balin stated. "He's been a help thus far."
"And the fish in the barrels was his idea." Bofur agreed as well. "We can't smell any worse than we do already."
"We go through the sewers." Thorin agreed, unable to argue with the support Bard was being given.
The bowman nodded before he and his son led the company to the port where the sewer tunnels ran underneath the houses. They were large enough that a fully grown man could just crawls through them. Making it easy enough for the Dwarves, Bilbo, and Elva to make it through.
"Wait." Bard placed his hand on Elva's shoulder before she followed along behind everyone else. "You're my dog. Neither The Master nor Alfrid can hear of me without you. Especially just getting back to town."
"Of course…" Elva frowned, before turning to the Dwarves. "I shall meet you in his house shortly."
"Be safe." Bofur frowned as well.
The wolf woman turned and followed along after Bard and his son as they made their way through the town once more. The trio made certain that The Master's men saw them often. And of course doing nothing out of the ordinary.
"I hope you know what you are doing, Bowman." Elva pinned her ears.
"Of course I do." Bard snapped quietly.
"Do what?" His son questioned.
"Not you, Bain." Bard shook his head. "The wolf."
"I did not hear her." Bain tilted his head curiously.
"That is because you would not have unless I had spoken to you like this as I did your father." Elva stated in the boy's mind.
"How did you do that?" The boy asked, partially in fear and partially in fascination.
"I am able to project my thoughts into your mind at my will." The wolf woman explained, rather tired of having to tell everyone her ability each time she used it. "But I do not use it frequently. However, I must keep my true self unknown to those in this town."
"What are you?" Bain questioned.
"That is not of your concern at this time." Elva growled, receding from his mind.
Finally they reached the home. Bard leaned over the rail to a pair who were fishing.
"You can tell the Master I'm done for the day." He said before heading into the house.
"Da!" A young girl with auburn hair smiled. "Where have you been?"
"Father, there you are." An older girl sighed in relief. "I was worried."
"Bowman." Elva growled softly as she stepped through the door last.
"Bain, get them in." Bard glanced out the window, nodding at Elva.
"What is that?" The older girl nearly screamed.
"Be silent, young one." The wolf woman snapped in a whisper. "Explaining myself is becoming tedious. She is your offspring, you deal with her."
"It is alright, girls." Bard replied. "Sigrid, Tilda, this is Elva. She will not hurt you, I promise."
Elva followed Bain down to the toilet where the Dwarves would arrive. The boy knocked on the wall to indicate it was safe for them to come up. The seat to the toilet flew open and Dwalin was the first to pop up. Bain held out a hand to help the Dwarf out, but he brushed it off angrily. She made certain each one came up and out of the water.
"Da, why are there Dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Sigrid questioned.
"Will they bring us luck?" Tilda asked.
"No, the Dwarves are not here to bring luck." Elva growled at the young girl. "They are here because we need to hide."
Eventually the entire company was inside the house, though it would be better called a shack.
"They may not be the best fit." Bard stated, handing them clothing as their own dried by the fire. "But they'll keep you warm."
Several of the Dwarves, and Bilbo, thanked Bard for the extra clothing to warm them up. Elva, still in her wolf form, pressed close to Bofur. She noticed Thorin staring out the window in revere. On the tallest tower in the town there was stationed a Dwarvish Windlance. A weapon Thorin had not seen in sixty years. Bilbo wandered over to him and commented that he looked as though he had seen a ghost. Elva did not blame the Dwarf Prince, as Balin strode over to explain to Bilbo the importance of that machine.
"He has." The old Dwarf stated softly. "The last time we saw such a weapon, the city was on fire. It was the day the Dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale. Girion, the lord of the city, rallied his bowmen and fired upon the beast. But a Dragon's hide is tough. Tougher than the strongest armour. Only a black arrow, fired from a windlance, could have pierced the Dragon's hide; and few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand."
"Had the aim of men been true that day," Thorin stated lowly, his gaze hard. "Much would have been different."
"You speak as if you were there." Bard commented walking over suspiciously.
"All Dwarves know the tale." Thorin replied easily.
"Then you would know the Girion hit the Dragon." Bain walked over as well. "He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast."
"That's a Faerie story, lad." Dwalin chuckled behind the boy. "Nothing more."
Thorin had had enough of recounting the past. He strode over to Bard.
"You took our money." He said. "Where are the weapons?"
"Wait here." Bard told them after a moment before leaving to get them.
Elva watched him warily. He was beginning to suspect there was more to the Dwarves than they had told him. And that would not bode well if he decided to turn on them. But then again, it would not bode well for him if he turned on them.
"What are you thinking about?" Bofur asked her quietly.
"How many different ways I can make him suffer if he betrays us." Elva replied with a crooked grin.
"Do you believe he would betray us?" The floppy-hatted Dwarf frowned.
"I do not believe he would not." The wolf woman answered.
"The only way you can know if you can trust someone, is to trust them." Bofur stated.
"Yes, you taught me that much." Elva glanced at him with soft eyes. "There is still some of the old me which refuses to let go."
"And that is that part that is going to take the most time." Bofur agreed. "I don't expect you be different in the blink of an eye."
"That is good or else I would sorely disappoint you." She smiled before padding over to Thorin, whom had gathered a few others to speak with them.
"Tomorrow begins the last days of Autumn." He stated.
"Durin's Day fall the morn after next." Balin nodded. "We must reach the mountain before then."
"And if we do not?" Kili asked. "If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?"
"Then this quest has been for nothing." Fili commented.
"By the Valar." Elva growled softly. "You four act as though Durin's Day happens once every thousand years. You do realize this is a yearly occurrence, yes? The worst that will happen is we must wait out one more year."
Before any of the Dwarves could reply, Bard returned with the promised weapons and their conversation was cut short. He tossed the long package on the table and unwrapped the cloth. Inside was a disheartening pile of useless tools disguised as weaponry. Large fishing hooks attached to poles, wooden hammers, fishing spears that were partially rusted from use. These were not weapons, they were barely even acceptable tools. The Dwarves did little to hide their displeasure.
"What is this?" Thorin demanded.
"Pike hook." Bard replied. "Made from an old harpoon."
"And this?" Kili asked about the hammer in his hand.
"A crowbill we call it." The bowman answered. "Fashioned from a smithie's hammer. It's heavy in hand I grant. But, in defense of your life, these will serve you better than none."
"We paid you for weapons." Gloin growled. "Iron forged swords and axes!"
"It's a joke!" Bofur tossed what he held back on the table in disgust.
The rest of the Dwarves followed suit, grumbling at the pitiful weapons.
"You won't find that outside the city armoury." Bard defended. "All iron forged weapons are held there under lock and key."
"Enough!" Elva barked, silencing the room. "Honestly, Thorin, he's a bargeman. Did you expect him to be able to provide swords, axes, and hammers that soldiers and armies use? This is a poor town that is barely scraping by as is. What he is giving us is as much as he can."
"Thorin." Balin chided their leader at his disgraceful ingratitude, siding with Elva. "Why not take what's been offered and go. I've made due with less; so have you. I say we leave now."
"You're not going anywhere." Bard told them.
"What did you say?" Dwalin growled threateningly.
"There are spies watching this house." The bowman elaborated. "And probably every wharf and dock in the town. You must wait till nightfall."
And so the Dwarves settled in, unhappily, for a long wait while Bard left to calm down.
I wish the line button would come back, it made separating the story and the author's notes much easier. Oh well. Everyone is in Laketown now, Erebor is within their sights. I hope you enjoyed!
Namárië