A/N: And I have reached over 50 followers! You guys are awesome, and such awesomeness must be rewarded with another chapter! Please keep reviewing and telling me your thoughts as I go along. I'm so excited! Thanks and continue!
Disclaimer: I own none of the Hobbit.
The barrels finally slowed down, miles from the Mirkwood borders. They came up slowly on a rocky river bed and soon they were all awkwardly swimming to solid land. The dwarfs stumbled wetly out onto the shore banks, battered from the rocks and the battle with the orcs, who had chased them downriver up until a mile or so ago. Many were sporting good sized scrapes and bruises. Linnor herself hadn't been hurt in the fight, but by the aches in her sides from the water ride, she was going to be pretty bruised by morning.
The girl watched the others stagger to some of the larger boulders lining this area and lean against them, weary and hoping to catch some of the sun's slim rays of warmth. Linnor watched Thorin help his nephews out of their barrels before going to check on Bilbo and the others.
Kili sat down gingerly and held his leg. There was blood mixing with water as it trailed down his cuff, and Linnor had to hold back a gasp when she saw the wound. A part of the arrow shaft was still embedded into his leg, giving the whole thing a black tinge, his blood like tar. Kili's face was scrunched in pain, hissing as he pulled the last insulting arrow shard out of his leg, freeing the blood flow.
"Fili."
Her elder cousin looked over at her, he being busy with wringing the water from his mustache and checking his soggy boots for spare throwing knives. At the sound of her voice, though, he paused and glanced to where she was, his eyes falling on his brother. Quickly and quietly he hurried to his side to assess the damage done. Thorin was in the middle of talking about the next step when Fili called out.
"Thorin, Kili's wounded."
At that, all the dwarves looked over at the lad anxiously. Linnor was sure Kili would have been angry and embarrassed if he hadn't been in so much pain. As she looked over again to her uncle, for a brief moment Linnor saw something in his eyes, something like panic and fear. For a second, she saw a glimpse of the dwarf he might have been to his young nephews as they grew up. But quick as it came, it went, and he was back to being authoritative King Under The Mountain.
"His leg is wounded, it needs to be binded." Fili continued.
As he spoke, Fili ripped a length of his tunic into shreds and started to bandage Kili's leg. Linnor felt slightly sick as she watched FIli work, his brow knitted in concentration. They all had gone through so much since she had joined them in Rivendell: orcs, goblins, been held prisoner, rode eagles, fought spiders, and all without a single scratch. Kili's wound was the most serious she had seen this trip and his pain was intense. The wound was not yet an hour old and already it looked a faded grey, which Linnor could only assume was not good. Faintly, She heard Oin tell Thorin that he would have a look when they reached a safe point near the mountain.
If Kili even has that long. She thought bitterly.
"We need to keep moving." Thorin barked, hiding his concern for the youngest member behind his stone features.
"To where exactly?" Linnor's voice rang with exhaustion, reminding them all of the battle they had just escaped from and the pack of orcs and elves that were trailing them swiftly.
"The Mountain, of course." Bilbo piped up, his curly hair plastered to his forehead. "We're so close."
"A lake lies between us and that mountain, and we've no way to cross it." Balin interrupted the hobbit, reveling in his knowledge of the area. His days of studying maps of Middle-Earth being put to good use at last (not that the old dwarf didn't still know how to swing a blade.)
"So we go around." Linnor tried to stay cheerful. She did not come all this way just to give up and be slaughtered by orcs. But hopefully they could rest and dry out first...walking all that way in damp boots was going to be torture, and that was one thing she did not wish to experience on this trip.
"The orcs will run us down as sure as daylight." Dwalin griped, casting a dark look at Thorin. "And we've no more weapons to defend ourselves."
Thorin's eyes seemed to blacken and his face was gaunt. He cast an angry glance at his two nephews, but Linnor knew there was worry buried deep beneath it.
"Bind it strong. You have two minutes, all of you. Gather what you can, do what you need. Then we move."
The dwarves scrambled about, trying to find slim slivers of sunlight in the hopes of getting warm or dry in any place. Ori was dumping water out of his boots at the edge of the shoreline. Fili and Kili were still working on his leg, and Linnor sat huddled into her self, watching the rest stretch.
Suddenly her eyes widened. Someone was climbing the high rock, right behind Ori. His figure was paled out by the sun, but she could see that he was tall, stockly built, and carrying a bow, which was poised and taught, aiming right at the oblivious dwarf.
'"Dwalin." she hissed, causing the temperamental dwarf to turn with a snarl before he saw what it was. Quick and sharp, he grabbed a large piece of driftwood and jumped in front of the new enemy with a low challenging growl, causing all the dwarves to stand at alert. Dwalin moved forward but before he got anywhere and arrow let fly and lodged into the stick. The others moved into action. Kili hefted a large stone to throw but another arrow caught it right out of his hand, and everyone froze in fear.
If Linnor hadn't been frozen with shock, she probably would have laughed at his expression.
"Do it again...and you're dead." the Man said softly, pulling another arrow at the ready.
Nobody moved. The sunlight was faded now and they could see the Man quite clearly. He had dark tussled hair that hung gently around his face. His eyes were bright and glinted with mistrust as he surveyed the company. His clothes were tan and well worn, broken in by weather, and a small green-silver quiver was strung across his back.
"Excuse me."
Balin was the first to hesitantly speak, his hands raised in a show of the lack of defense. Still, the Man drew his bow taught and did not relax.
"You're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken." Balin stated, clearly knowing he wasn't. "That barge over there..." he nodded his head upriver, where there was a low, flat raft holding their discarded barrels. He must have been collecting them when he spotted the dwarves and decided to investigate.
Rob us or kill us more likely. Linnor thought with only slight disgust. There had been a time when she might have done the same.
"It wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?"
The Man lowered his weapon...and turned away. The dwarves looked at each other in surprise before scurrying after him. That barge may well be their only way into Laketown...and beyond. When they all caught up to him, the Man was busy finishing loading the barrels and other supplies onto his barge.
"Now wait just a moment-" Oin panted.
"What makes you think I would help you." he said bluntly as they caught up. Linnor remained near the back.
"Your boat has seen better days." Balin was using a kind, condescending tone that elders tended to use when trying to explain an obvious benefit. "As has that coat. No doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed."
The Man hardly slowed his work.
"How many?"
At this, he paused to give Balin a tired glare, but even from far back Linnor could see the small amount of love and pride he had when talking of his children.
"A boy and two girls."
"And your wife, I imagine, is a beauty."
Linnor couldn't see his expression. He had paused again, his back to the dwarves. She slowly moved past the few that were in front of her to stand closer.
"Aye. She was."
Linnor closed her eyes in sadness. Balin was clearly taken aback as well and fumbled over his mistake. The Man still didn't turn back around, but gazed intently over the water.
"I'm sorry."
It was not Balin who spoke out this time, but Linnor. The Man whirled around at the sound of her voice, his eyes wide with surprise as he took her in. The way he was looking at her...she wondered what his daughters looked like.
"I know what it's like, to lose someone you love. To grow up without a mother. I know how lonely it can be." Linnor confessed.
No one behind her spoke and she and this stranger locked eyes. It felt to her like he was searching for something, the truth maybe, in her eyes, like he wasn't sure if she really understood.
"I want to know who you are, and what you are doing in these lands." he said softly.
Linnor gave a small smile and shook her head.
"Please. Help us. We can pay you. We just need to get across Laketown. And we'll be gone, with nothing to you. Now, will you help us?" she pleaded.
The Man sighed and closed his eyes.
"Aye. I will help you."