WELCOME TO LAKETOWN
"What makes you think I will help you?" Bard the Bowman said. The Dwarves stood by his barge while he loaded the barrels upon the deck.
"Those boots have seen better days," Balin remarked and gestured down his shoes. "As has that coat. No doubt you have hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"
"A boy and two girls," Bard said.
"And your wife, I'd imagine she's a beauty."
Bard paused for a moment, his voice fading sadly. "Aye. She was."
Balin's smile fell when he realized what he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
Dwalin interrupted rudely. "Oh, come on, enough with the niceties."
"What's the hurry?" Bard asked.
"What's it to you?"
"I would like to know who you are and what are you doing in these lands."
Balin opened his arms and smiled kindly. He bowed his head. "We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills."
Bard scoffed and snuck a glance to Jeanne. The lady sunk down to the ground and hid her head away. "Simple merchants, you say? Traveling with a woman who brings Bad Omens." He ran his hand across the barrels that had dents and nicks that came from the river ride and Orc raid. I know where these barrels come from."
Thorin moved protectively in front of Jeanne. "What of it?" he growled his words. He felt Jeanne lift her hand and gently grab his upper harm. Thorin turned around and saw Jeanne's eyes pleading with him.
"Now is not the time to be defensive," she spoke softly and sat up. "I know things may seem..very suspicious right now, but if you're willing to work with us, for food, supplies, and weapons...we will offer more."
"Listen, I don't know what business you had with the Elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realms. He will see you in iron before risking the wrath of King Thranduil." Bard stared at Jeanne's innocent-looking cornflower eyes and it did tug on his heart a bit. She looked young (Despite being over 400 years old) and her eyes still held this childish youthfulness that hasn't seen the world yet.
"I figured that much, but I know there are ways to enter that town unseen." her eyes were stubborn.
"Aye. But for that, you'll need a smuggler."
Jeanne sighed and looked back at Thorin. He gave a nod of approval and she looked back. "How about double?"
Bard stopped what he was doing and looked up.
The day slowly sank away as time went by the closer they got to Laketown. The air was humid, cold, and the water was freezing to the slightest touch to bare skin. Jeanne leaned over the barge and dipped the tip of her fingers into the water that had slabs of ice floating at the surface.
"Tell me," Jeanne spoke up and looked at Bard. "Have you...seen people of Bad Omens being taken away by Orcs?"
Bard was slightly taken aback by her innocent tone of voice. "I haven't personally but I know people who have. Good men have lost their wives and their children to this plague. For whatever reason it happens, I'm glad none of my own children have hair as red as yours. I can...only pity people like you."
Jeanne's face fell and she looked back down into the water. "Oh..." she mumbled half-heartedly. She glided her hand right above her own reflection and distorted the image until she couldn't see her face anymore. This new knowledge had really placed a heavy burden on her heart and now just looking at her hair made her stomach ache. She didn't put much thought into her hair color, but now...she was beginning to hate the bright shade known as scarlet.
Bard noticed the sorrow running within Jeanne's blue eyes. "You should know this. Things like this have been happening for over... maybe 300 years," he said.
Jeanne sighed. "Long story short...I've lived under a rock my whole life," she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.
Thorin walked over to the Dwarves that huddled around Balin as he counted up all the gold coins he had.
Balin's face turned grim. "There's, um, just a problem: we're ten coins short," he said.
Thorin sighed and glanced over to Gloin. "Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have."
Gloin actually looked offended. "Don't look at me. I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and..." he noticed that no one was paying attention, that everyone looking up.
Upon the hazy fog wall, a single mountain not so far in the distance laid. The Dwarves stayed quiet as their eyes widen in awe, a sight that they haven't seen in years.
"Bless my beard." Gloin took out a sack of gold coins and handed it over to Balin. "Take it. Take all of it."
Jeanne stared up at the mountain in just utter amazement, never once gazing upon something so ginormous in all her life. Just the sheer sight of it made her skin crawl and heart speed up.
Bard suddenly approached them fast. "The money, quick, give it to me." he held his hand out.
"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before," Thorin told him firmly.
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead."
Jeanne stood up to that and peered through the thick fog, seeing Laketown in the distance.
Everyone quickly hid in the barrels and stayed quiet as Bard pulled into one of the docks right outside the town. No one could see what was going on but Bilbo.
"What's he doing?" Dwalin asked.
Bilbo peered through the hole in his barrel. "He's talking to someone. And he's...pointing right at us!" he said in a panicked voice.
"Oh, no..." Jeanne's voice could be heard from among the barrels.
"Now they're shaking hands," Bilbo told.
"What?" Thorin's voice turned anxious.
"That villain! He's selling us out!" Dwalin growled.
They waited with anticipation as the sounds grew closer and closer when all of a sudden...dead fish began to get poured into their barrels. The Dwarves sputtered in surprise and let out frustrated groans, complaining about the smell. Jeanne sunk herself deep in her clothes and wrapped her face in her hood so she wouldn't smell the filth that made her stomach turn.
Bard kicked one of the complaining barrels. "Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." He slowly brought his barge to the toll where the gatekeeper called out to him.
"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please." the Gatekeeper noticed who it was and lightened his tone. "Oh, it's you, Bard."
Bard tipped his head. "Morning, Percy."
"Anything to declare?"
"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home." he handed his papers over to him.
"You and me both." Percy walked inside his office and quickly stamped the papers for him and stepped back out. "Here we are. All in order."
A hand suddenly intercepted the papers and grabbed them from Percy's hand. It was a pale-ish gray man with black hair, welts on his face, and crooked teeth. His sickening and sleazy voice even had the power to make Jeanne's skin crawl when she heard it.
"Not so fast. Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realms. only, they're not empty, are they, Bard." he said in a condescending tone. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."
"That's none of your business." Bard cocked a brow at Alfrid's empty threats. It was nothing he hasn't already heard before.
"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business."
"Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!"
"These fish are illegal." he turned to the Laketown soldiers behind him and gestured his heads towards the barrels. "Empty the barrels over the side."
The soldiers took a couple of barrels at the side of the deck and started to pour the fish back into the water. Jeanne, inside one of them, banged her head against the inside. She bit her tongue to hold her cries of shock.
"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard tried to convince him.
"That's not my problem.
Bard took a quick glance to one of the barrels that were close to revealing Jeanne's hiding spot, soon enough he would see the redness from her hair. "And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts will it be your problem then?"
Alfried finched at that and stared Bard down for a second, pondering on what he was going to do. He slumped his shoulders. "Stop," he called out and the soldiers slowly brought the barrels back up.
Jeanne sighed in relief, resisting the urge to gag from the stench of fish.
"Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last," Alfrid scoffed as the gate was open and Bard began to pole his barge through. "The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live."
Bard rolled his eyes. "It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives."
Author's Note:
I wanna say real quick that THIS STORY IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE POSTED WEEKLY! IT'S GOING TO BE PLACED ON RANDOM UPDATES! I'm sorry for everyone who likes Jeanne's story but the motivation to write is starting to fade and I'm not as excited anymore I'm not going to quit writing for this story since I love Jeanne too much for that (She's like my child). but I need your help. Please, please tell me that you enjoy this story because it truly does help with motivation and that's what I need right now.
Once again I'm sorry to do this to all you, but I do hope to see you all when I post the next chapter. That's all for now, and until then, take real good care of yourselves.
-Kae Aleah
