It wasn't but a moment or two after Thorin had followed Ali up the stairs that there was a knock at the front door. The room stilled, tension filling the air. Somehow they had been found. Thorin stood up taller. Readying himself for what onslaught might be waiting for them.
"Who's there?" Bard asked, yet didn't move to get the door.
"I'm here on orders from the Master to fetch King Thranduil's counselor." The voice snapped. Beside him, Ali shuttered. What did the man mean by Thranduil's counselor?
Bard looked to Ali, Ali looked to Bard, and Thorin looked back and forth between the two. What was going on here?
"Everyone in the room," Bard pointed to the side door, the dwarves hesitated before tip toeing to the room.
"What's going on?" Thorin hissed, refusing to move, his jovial demeanor from before disappearing quickly.
"I'll tell you later," Ali pushed him to the room.
Reluctantly he took a step, he didn't like not understanding what was going on.
"Open the door Bard or I'll have the guards break it down." The man outside demanded in a shrill voice.
"Calm down Alfrid, I'll be right there." Bard moved to the door but waited, the last holdout was Thorin.
"Everything will be fine, I'm just going to talk to someone and I'll be right back." Ali whispered in his ear. "Please trust me."
It wasn't that he didn't trust Ali, he just didn't trust Ali's rash judgment, or those men, or Bard. Fine, he didn't trust anyone in Laketown. Thorin couldn't just say that though.
"Promise me you'll return before the sun sets," Thorin turned to watch her face for any signs she might be thinking something else. "If you don't I will seek you out."
Ali rolled her eyes, "fine, I promise, now hide."
One last shove and the door snapped shut in his face. Only a moment ago things were looking so good for them. Ali had even said…she had said that they were in a relationship. Even to this second he felt overwhelmed by that word. As of yet he hadn't dared to think that Ali felt as strongly about their companionship as he did. Humans were known to be a great deal more fickle in their feelings than dwarves. He thought she would initially reject him, even though she spoke of her feelings before, there had been no talk of them since. His stomach had flipped entirely over when he heard that word.
Yet now there was another man at the door, demanding Ali's attention. Thorin thought about marching out and revealing himself that moment, his hand was already on the door handle.
A hand rested on his arm. Thorin looked down to see the hobbit, standing beside him in the dark, ear to the door.
"I wouldn't worry about Ali. I think she can handle herself fine." Bilbo tried to reassure him. As the voices died down Thorin dropped his hand.
"I want you to make sure of that," Thorin looked down to Bilbo. If anyone of their company could follow unseen, it was Bilbo. This way Ali wouldn't know that he had her followed, and he wouldn't have to worry about her. "If anything happens I want you to come back here right away and get me."
Bilbo's brow furrowed as he thought about it, just when it looked like he might protest, he nodded once, "yes, alright."
Relief flooded Thorin. If he couldn't go himself, at least this way she would have someone. As of late, Bilbo had proven himself time and again to be a stead fast friend.
"Thank you." Thorin rested his hand on Bilbo's shoulder and smiled, "now off with you."
Ali rolled her eyes behind Alfrid's back for the hundredth time since they began their walk. At first the slimy little man had tried to lead her by taking her arm, Ali was sure to avoid his nasty touch at all cost. Then he had tried to place his hand on her back, only the lord knows when the last time he washed that was, she squelched that attempt quickly as well. Now he was trying to act like her personal tour guide through the streets, as if this was Venice.
Behind them, Ali could hear Bard grumble about this situation. It wasn't until after they opened the door that Alfrid mentioned that Bard was to join them. Frankly Ali was surprised at how much Alfrid seemed to want Bard to be here. Earlier it didn't seem like the two men were really buddies, but then again she was the outsider, and this entire world was just outside her understanding most days.
"And here is the Master's house, right this way Ma'am," Alfrid moved to touch her back as she took the stairs.
"Alfrid, if you touch me I'll shove your face down on the spiked fence and watch you writhe about until you become slack with blood loss." Ali snapped, trying to fight the urge to hop away and shake off his cooties, behind her, Bard coughed to cover a laugh.
"Of course Ma'am," Alfrid never lost his gag worthy smile as he opened the door for her. This man just couldn't take a hint, Ali glowered inwardly. Outwardly she continued to try and appear as though she were just mildly interested in what was happening around her. During her time with the elves, disinterest seemed to be ninety percent of what they felt, except possibly Legolas and Tauriel. Strangely enough Ali sort of missed those two.
"Welcome counse-" the Master turned in his office to greet them and stopped short when he saw her. "Well you're not an elf."
Ali fought another eye roll, "and you're as sharp as sponge in this lake. Why have you called for your dog to 'fetch' Bard and I in such a manner?"
"I am not a dog," Alfrid sounded upset for the first time. She couldn't be the first to call him that.
"You're right, I shalln't insult dogs as such. I digress, what do you need us for?" Ali waved a hand languidly towards the Master, who might have actually been more revolting than Alfrid.
"Well you're not an elf," the Master spluttered out, "and how dare you address me as such! I am the Master of this town and you will address me with the respect I deserve."
Ali spared him a glance. Normally her heart would be pounding away, telling her that she was in real trouble. Right now, she felt calm. Like total and utter calm. Perhaps she was feeding off Bard's unimpressed vibes, as he stood slightly behind her. It felt as if she was someone of high importance who required a body guard.
"I will address you with the respect that you have proven you deserve. As it stands you continue to address me as 'not an elf', I am well aware of what I'm not." Ali's hands rested relaxed in front of her, yet she stood as firm as possible.
"Well then, WHO are you?" The Master sat down, his question heavy with distain he drew out his sentence and threw an angry look at Alfrid.
"If you refuse to be serious about this visit simply because of my race, then I shall depart immediately back to Thranduil. My-"
"You mean KING Thranduil," the Master leaned back in his chair, eyeing Ali with distrust. Inside she felt a roll of anger at being interrupted while in character.
"To the likes of you yes, he is KING Thranduil. To my people, he is merely Thranduil." Ali's eyes narrowed at the Master.
"Sire, she speaks the truth, she does come from the elven kingdom, just look at her dress. She holds powerful magic." Alfrid hovered by the Master's side, both of them watching her now. She wanted more than anything to stop time and run a quill right through the Master's hand.
Oh dear god. Had that terrible thought really just passed through her mind? When had she allowed that sort of thinking to start at all? This was wrong. Her sudden violent thought turned her stomach.
"It is in my nature to be forgiving though, I pray we start back at the beginning." Ali extended an olive branch, hoping that she could pull them all back up from this.
"What sort of power do you have? I find it difficult to believe anyone such as yourself could be anything more than a nuisance." The master swirled a glass of dark liquid around as he spoke to her.
Ali watched the liquid slosh halfway up the side and stop. The Master's hideous face froze, his eyes fixed in boredom and annoyance at his glass. The sounds of the creaking house halted, had it always been this silent when she stopped time? It felt as if she was totally alone with herself for the first time in a while. Her thoughts were too dark. When had she begun to think this way? When had she begun changing to be like this? Through everything in her life she had been able to keep her sense of humor, but now it seemed to disappear.
Ali sighed. Perhaps she was actually being a bit selfish. All her life people had thrown her to the side or blown her off, but now she had power. Now she had something that made people take notice of her. Apparently if you give a girl some power she suddenly wants to rule the world. Huh, the thought wasn't bad, she bet she would be a great supreme leader, but seriously back on track.
Nobody was going to get stabbed because Ali wanted someone to take her seriously. Instead she slid the crystal glass from the Master's fingertips, and returned to her original spot. She wanted this little meeting to end quickly, which means that she just had to scare them a little. Plus add in a little insurance in case the dwarves were found here. Someone had to be thinking a step or two ahead.
The dark liquid swirled around the glass as she stood there in front of the pair, time setting back in. The Master blinked at his hand, brow furrowing, he looked at Ali.
"The power I have is a rather astonishing one," Ali boasted a little, lazily watching the Master check his hand again for his drink, then stare back at her. "I won't bother to explain it to one such as you."
"H-how did you do that?" The Master looked back at his own hand as if he expected the drink would reappear, he was apparently as dense as he was ugly. Behind her Bard coughed to cover another laugh. Alfrid narrowed his eyes at Bard, apparently unimpressed with his reaction.
"I told Alfrid once not to think of me as simple. Now I am extending you the same advice." Ali let the crystal clink down onto the desk. "I do not serve Thranduil. My true king is far more powerful than him."
The Master watched her carefully. "Who are you?"
"You had your chance to find out didn't you?" Ali locked him with a blank stare, hoping her poker face was as good as she thought. She knew she wasn't intimidating but the Master pulled back none-the-less, trying to put some distance between the two, yet never looking away. "My king will be arriving here soon. When he does you best treat him with more respect than you did me. If you fail to, I will make sure the Master of Laketown gets exactly what he deserves." Ali slid the glass closer to the Master but didn't look away. "Enjoy."
With that Ali turned and strode out of the room without being dismissed, Bard smiled and dipped his head to the pair and followed her out the door.
"Wait, ma'am!" The Master shouted from the study, even calling her 'ma'am', just because she moved his glass around a little. Ali paused and turned slightly to watch him already huffing from the short dash across the room. "Please, if you wish to see the town I will have some of my men escort you, so the bargeman can go back to his hovel." The Master straitened himself and motioned for several guards to approach.
"Why would I wish to have your guards instead?" Ali asked, knowing full well she had no intention of letting those men escort her.
"Well you see, Bard here, isn't the most upstanding citizen." Alfrid sneered at the taller man.
"Is this true Bard?" Ali asked.
"Of course not," Bard didn't even sound worried.
"He says it isn't true, good day," Ali turned to leave again, Alfrid jumped into step beside her.
"But it is true. He's trying to spread the seeds of doubt in the Master's abilities to govern Laketown." Alfrid dropped his voice as if he were telling her some serious secret.
"If the Master is fit to govern Laketown then the people will see he does, no matter what Bard says." Ali let Bard pull the door open for her, dipping her head as a thank you. She didn't think that the people needed Bard to stir up doubt in the Master. He was probably doing a fine job himself.
"Now see here, ma'am…" the Master began, then the three of them stopped on the stairs down from the house. In front of her the dwarves were gathered in a tight circle, surrounded by guards, the people already beginning to congregate.
Sweet baby Jesus, the sun hadn't even gone down yet. She wanted more than anything to smack her hand on her face and sigh but refrained.
"Well then, what do we have here?" The Master stepped out in front of her, strutting like a rooster. "Would these be intruders, here to jeopardize the safety of our city!?" The Master asked the crowd, glancing back to see if Ali was watching.
"This is Thorin Oakenshield and company," Ali stepped forward, coming to stand next to the Master, but she watched Thorin step out of the group.
"Who?" The Master asked, looking between Thorin and Ali, confused.
"Thorin, rightful king under the mountain, here to claim what was once his." Ali wanted to smack him upside the head for blowing his cover so quickly, but at the same time she couldn't help the smile. "This is my king."
"Your king?" The Master began to look doubtful, perhaps questioning what was so powerful about this dwarf before him. Behind her, Ali could hear Bard repeating Thorin's name to himself, as if it sounded familiar to him.
"We have come to reclaim our homeland. I remember this town in the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North." Thorin climbed several more stairs, and then turned to face the growing crowd. "I would see those days return. I would relight the great forges of the dwarves and send wealth and riches flowing once more from the halls of Erebor!"
"Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all." Bard launched forward, startling Ali. What was he talking about? The dwarves were going to kill the dragon before it could harm anyone.
"You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this; If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain. You will have enough gold to rebuild Esgaroth ten times over!" Thorin continued, covering up Bard's accusation quickly.
"All of you! Listen to me! You must listen! Have you forgotten what happened to Dale?!" Bard looked around the crowd. "Have you forgotten those who died in the firestorm?!" The people began shaking their heads, looking at the ground, ashamed that they had been excited. "And for what purpose? The blind ambition of a mountain-king so driven by greed, he could not see beyond his own desire!" Ali was astonished that Bard's attitude had shifted so quickly towards them. She itched to know what firestorm they were talking about. What had the dwarves not told her?
"Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame. Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor, who failed to kill the beast!" The Master looked to Bard, the crowd beginning to quiet.
"It's true, sire. We all know the story: arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark." Alfrid chimed in, glancing over to Ali, hoping she would see him help defend her king.
"You have no right, no right to enter that mountain!" Bard leaned closer to Thorin, his words barely heard over the crowd.
"I have the only right." Thorin stood several steps higher than Bard so he was able to look him in the eye as he spoke smoothly. Then he Turned to the Master and continued. "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?"
The air crackled with tension, Ali looked between the two men, then to Bard as Thorin continued. "What say you?"
"I say unto you...welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!"
There was something more going on here. Bard shouldered his way through the crowd as Thorin approached her.
"I thought you said you would wait," Ali glowered at his smile.
It didn't stop him from leaning in and bopping his forehead against hers, "I tried to wait, but my arms felt so empty without you in them."
Ali tried to suppress a smile, just because he was charming didn't mean she was going to let this go.
Thanks for reading :)
Hope everyone is enjoying spring and I'll be back next week with another update
Muah!