As the bowman steered the barge in and out of ruins and rocks, the dwarves emptied their pockets to pay the Man. They began to argue quietly to themselves and Halien went to the back of the barge.

"May I ask your name, bowman?"

"Bard." He replied.

"Bard the Bowman?" Halien said, thinking a moment. A soft smile played across her lips and she giggled. "I like that."

"And what is your name?"

"I am Halien." She introduced herself. "Bard, I wish to thank you. You are risking much to aid us in our journey, yet you do so despite the risks. I do not think it is just for money, so why?"

Bard sighed, looking at her. "It is for the money. I have to feed my children somehow and the way things are in Laketown, there is not much work to be had and supplies are scarce or very expensive. The taxes are high, too, so we Common folk suffer while those who are higher born feast."

Halien looked at him and saw his frustration. "Have the people of Laketown come to suffer this much in the last fifty years? Last I was here, your town was doing well."

"Aye, we suffer, but we suffer quietly. I sneak in what I can, give what extra I can spare to those who need it more." Bard said. "But I did not mean to ask for pity, forgive me."

"No, it is fine. I am glad I know now, lest I be surprised when we arrive." Halien said, then saw the dwarves stand and gaze through the fog. She turned and saw the peak of the Lonely Mountain and she sighed in relief. "It's so close."

Bard watched her face light up a little while she gazed at the peak and wondered what interest an elf would have in the Lonely Mountain. He watched her shiver and just as he was about to offer her a blanket, he watched her breathe out and a soft glow emanated from her. Her body let off steam that mixed with the fog and she sighed.

"Much better…" she murmured to herself.

"What did you just do there?" Bard asked.

Halien looked at him and smiled. "I used some fire magik to heat the air around the barge. We should be warm for a while." Then she thought back to what he had said earlier. "Bard, I know it is not just for the money that you do this. You do it for your people, to ensure that they can survive, even in the toughest and darkest of times. While I fear even darker days may soon be upon us all, I can see how hard you work to make sure your family is provided for. You care for your town when the Master does not seem to."

Bard was a little surprised at what she said, but he was shocked at what came next.

"My father had appointed me to be the ambassador of our people and I went to Erebor and Dale, even Laketown, and I got to see the illustrious halls of Erebor and the beautiful markets of Dale." Halien began to explain, but Bard watched her face fall. "My father turned from the dwarves of Erebor and the folk of Dale, but I did not want to follow suit. I left my father to come back to help those I could. When I reached the streets of Dale, I found a man, Girion, laying still. I went to him, as I did many others, and tried to heal him. He awoke for a short while and asked if he had killed the dragon."

Bard knew the tale of Girion, King of Dale, who shot a Black Arrow from a Windlance at the dragon, Smaug. He failed, but there were two versions of how it ended.

"I had told Girion that while he tried his best, he did not bring down the dragon- but managed to loosen a scale under the left wing- and it took the Lonely Mountain. He asked me to bring the last of the Black Arrows to his family, hoping that they were safe." Halien had a sad smile on her face. "His last words were to tell his family that he loved them and to pass on his story. I left Dale that day and brought the last Black Arrow to Laketown, where the last of Girion's kin now resided." She looked at Bard. "You remind me of Girion. Something about you, perhaps the lengths you go through to protect your family and your people, reminds me of the brave man who faced a dragon alone and almost succeeded in bringing the beast down."

Bard watched as she walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever you do, Bard, never falter from your path. You are a good man, you fight for what you believe is right and you do well by your people and kin. Keep that path and no matter what comes your way, you will always have the better chance."

Bard watched as she smiled and walked back to the dwarves, placing her hand on one of the dwarf's shoulders. He watched as the dwarf smiled and grabbed her hand, stroking it with his thumb. He looked on ahead and realized how close they were. He ran to the others and asked them to pay him right then.

"We will pay you when we get our provisions, but not before," Thorin said.

"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard pointed out.

The dwarves turned to look ahead and saw the docks as the fog swirled around the lake's surface. They all quickly got into the barrels and hunkered down as far as they could. Halien accompanied Bard when he went to speak with a fisherman.

"Hello, Bard. Heading back home?"

"Aye, though I have a favor to ask," Bard said. "You see those empty barrels? I was hoping you had a catch that could be spared. I can bring it into town myself in those barrels, hand it out before the main shipment comes in."

"Of course. May I ask who this beautiful elven lady is?"

Bard looked over at Halien as she smiled and bowed to the Man.

"Greetings, good sir. I am Halien, an ambassador of the Woodland Realm. I was tasked with ensuring that our alliance and trade with Laketown is going well. I am accompanying Bard on his journey home so that I may see for myself how it goes in Laketown. I wish to give a full report back to King Thranduil upon my return. If you would be so kind as to help me on my assignment, I would be in your debt."

Bard and the fisherman gazed at her in wonder, surprised by her regal mannerism. The fisherman nodded and motioned for the others to load the fish onto the barge.

None of the company could see what was going on, but after a few minutes, a huge catch of fish was suddenly dumped on top of them. The barge began to move again and the dwarves were grunting and moaning at the smell.

Bard kicked one of the barrels and said, "Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." He directed the barge towards the gate and stopped when the gatekeeper stood.

"Halt! Goods inspection, papers please!" he called out to Bard. "Oh, it's you, Bard."

"Morning, Percy," Bard replied.

"Anything to declare?" Percy asked.

"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired and ready for home." Bard said, handing his papers to Percy as the Man replied with, "You and me both."

Percy looked at the elven maiden. "Who are you, lass?"

"Oh, do forgive me, sir. I am Halien, an ambassador sent from the Woodland Realm. I am tasked with giving a full report to King Thranduil upon my return in regards to how our trade fares with the good people of Laketown. I do not wish to cause any issues with the Master or cause trouble. I can come back another time if you would prefer?"

Percy seemed to blush at how polite she was. "Oh, no, lass, it is quite alright. Please, enjoy your visit to Laketown. I hope you are pleased with what you find."

Halien smiled and thanked him.

The Man stamped the papers and handed them back to Bard. "There you are. All in order."

"Not so fast." A sleazy-looking man said. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm."

Bard sighed.

"Only, they're not empty, are they Bard?" The Man said. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman."

"That's none of your business," Bard replied.

"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which means it's my business."

"Oh, come now Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard retorted.

"These fish are illegal," Alfrid said. "Empty the barrels over the side."

One of the Men with Alfrid ordered the others to do as they were told.

Alfrid at this point had just noticed Halien standing there. "And who might you be, my dear elven beauty?"

Bard rolled his eyes and stepped closer to Halien as Alfrid tried to advance towards her with a disgusting smile upon his lips. Halien put a hand on Bard's arm and smiled reassuringly. 'Bard, do not start. I will handle this, but you must trust me.'

Bard nodded, hearing her voice in his head as clearly as he would if she had spoken aloud. He watched as Halien approached Alfrid.

"Hello. As I have told your gatekeeper here, I am Halien. I am an ambassador from the Woodland Realm and I am to give a full report to King Thranduil upon my return on how our business and trade with Laketown is faring. I have the papers here if you would like to see the order yourself." Halien said, then pulled out a bundle of papers.

Alfrid shook his head when he saw the large bundle. "No, no, it would be unwise for us to doubt the legitimacy of your assignment. We value our trades with the Woodland Realm."

"As you should," Halien replied.

Just as the men began to tip the barrels over, Bard said, "Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce."

"Not my problem," Alfrid said.

"When the people hear that the Master is dumping fish back into the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?"

"Your name was Alfrid, was it not?" Halien asked. "I have allowed these fish to be transported in the barrels. Bard has the royal pardon of his majesty, Thranduil. Are you willing to risk his wrath should he learn that you were interfering with official business?"

Alfrid was afraid of the idea of a riot and even more so by the thought of the Elven King's wrath, so he ordered the Men to stop. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the Common folk? You even got the elven ambassador on your side. You might have their favor now, Bargeman, but it won't last." And with that, he stalked away.

"Raise the gate," Percy called out. Bard thanked him and steered his barge through the gate and into the town.

"The Master has his eye on you," Alfrid said to Bard, stopping for a moment. "You'd do well to remember: we know where you live."

Bard scoffed and said, "It's a small town, Alfrid. Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Bard navigated through the waterways and stopped when it was safe. He kicked over a few barrels and pushed over some of the others. He helped Halien off the barge and smiled a bit when she silently thanked him, then paid the old man that was standing there staring at them.

"You never saw them, they were never here," Bard told him. "The fish you can have for nothing."

The old man nodded and Bard led them through the streets, through the throng of people. The people of the Lake stared and muttered amongst themselves.

"Keep your heads down and keep moving," Bard instructed.

As they made their way through, a guard spotted them. "Halt! Oi!"

Halien stopped and looked at Bard. 'We have to get away, Bard. We cannot be stopped!'

"We have to move. Come on." Thorin said and they started to run.

"In the name of the Master of Laketown, I said halt!" the guard called again.

Halien looked desperately at Bard as the dwarves weaved through the people. The guards chased after them and they incapacitated them.

The guard commander, Braga, came up with some more men and looked around.

"What's going on?" he demanded as the people scattered and went back to their business. "Stay where you are. Nobody leaves."

Halien and Bard stood next to each other while the dwarves hid. As Braga came around the corner, Bard acted as if he had just run into the Man. "Braga."

"You." Said, looking at him sternly.

"Sorry?" Bard asked as Halien came up beside him.

"Is everything alright, commander?" Halien asked.

Ignoring her, Braga glared at Bard. "You, what are you up to?"

Behind them, one of the guards was beginning to stir, but the woman potting Kingsfoil discreetly knocked over one of the pots and it hit him on the head. The people quickly covered him up and made it look like there was nothing but the weed and crates.

"Me?" Bard asked. "Nothing. I'm looking for nothing."

"Yeah," Braga said, suspiciously. As he investigated the noise and found nothing, Bard came up behind him with a blouse.

"Hey, Braga," Bard said. "Your wife would look lovely in this."

"What do you know of my wife?" Braga demanded.

"I know her as well as any Man in this town," Bard replied, shrugging innocently.

Halien giggled a bit when the commander stormed off with his men behind him. Bard motioned for her and the others to follow him.

As they continued through the back paths of the town towards their destination, wherever that may be, Bard's son came running up to him.

"Da, our house. It's being watched." He said.

Bard nodded and had the company hide. He and Halien went up to the house, following his son. Bard took an apple and whistled to the Men below. "You can tell the Master I'm done for the day." He said and tossed the apple to the elder of the two.

Bard followed Halien into the house and Halien stepped aside as a young girl and her older sister ran to him.

"Da! Where have you been?" the youngest said.

"Father! There you are! I was worried." Said the eldest.

"Here, Sigrid," Bard said, handing the satchel he carried to her. Then to his son, he said, "Bain, get them in."

The youngest girl looked at the elf maiden standing by the door as her brother ran downstairs. "Who are you, miss?"

Halien smiled at the girl. "I am Halien. You are Bard's children?"

The girls nodded. The eldest looked at Halien. "Are you visiting Father?"

Halien shook her head. "No, I am here on business. Your father has been kind enough to help me."