Down at the bottom of the stairs, Bain knocked on the wall.
Dwalin was the first to come up. "If you speak of this to anyone, I'll rip your arms off." He growled at the lad. When he tried to help Dwalin out, the dwarf smacked away his hand and told him to get off.
"Up there." The boy said, pointing up the stairs. Next came Bilbo, then the rest followed suit.
"Da, why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" The older girl asked as she watched the company march up the stairs.
"Do they bring us good luck?" the youngest girl said.
Halien went to the fireplace and used her magik to increase the heat of the fire, but she felt faint, having used more energy for her magik than she thought. Bard saw her stumbled into the side of the hearth and quickly scooped her up in his arms, carrying her over to his bed. He set her down and grabbed an extra blanket for her.
"Thank you, Bard." She said, her vision blurry. 'Thorin?'
Thorin hurried over to her and sat beside her. She rested her head against him and passed out.
"Is she OK?" the youngest girl asked.
"She's just weary from travel," Bard said.
Balin and the others knew that she was risking herself to keep them and her baby safe and warm, but they feared she would grow ill if she did not rest as long as she would need to fully regain her strength.
Bard and his daughters, Tilda- the youngest- and Sigrid-the eldest- began handing out some extra clothes and boots. "They may not be the best fit, but they'll keep you warm." Then, handing a heavy gown to Thorin, Bard said, "This was one of my wife's gowns. Halien looks to be the same size as she was. It's lined with wool and will keep her and your child plenty warm."
"How did you know?" Thorin asked him.
"I've seen how you look at each other. My wife used to look at me the way Halien looks at you. She loves you deeply. I also saw the ring on her finger. Its dwarvish markings match those on your own ring, so I assumed that you are married to her and that you are the father of her child."
Thorin was impressed with his deducing skills and took the gown. "Thank you."
Bard nodded and asked the eldest of his girls to start handing out mugs of hot tea for their guests. Seeing to it that Halien was comfortable, Thorin stood to put on the new clothes and walked over to the window.
As he gazed out of it, he saw something he had not for over sixty years. "A dwarvish windlance…"
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Bilbo said, coming to stand next to him.
"He has," Balin said, joining them. "The last time we saw such a weapon, a city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came."
Thorin began to remember the events as clear as day. Balin began telling Bilbo of Girion, the lord of Dale, and his men and how they fought to bring down the dragon. Only a black arrow fired from a windlance could bring down a dragon. Balin told of how Girion fired two of the three black arrows that were ever made.
"Had the aim of Men had been true that day, much would be different," Thorin said.
"You speak as if you were there," Bard said, overhearing the tale being retold.
"All dwarves know the tale," Thorin said, choosing his words carefully.
"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon." Bard's son, Bain, said. "He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more hit and he would have killed the dragon."
Behind him, Dwalin shook his head and chuckled. "That's a fairy story, lad, nothing more."
Thorin stepped forward. "You took our money. Where are the weapons?"
Off to the side, Halien had stirred and tried to stand. Sigrid rushed to her side as she stumbled back. "Miss, you must rest!"
"Do not worry about me. You should not be so rude to the one who saved our hides and has risked much to keep us hidden and safe." She replied, gently scorning her husband.
"I like her," Bain murmured to his father. Bard smirked at Thorin and told him to wait there. He turned and left for a moment, returning with a large bundle in his arms. He unraveled it, having missed the conversation Balin, Thorin, Fili, and Kili had just spoken about Durin's Day coming upon them two days from then.
Bard opened the bundle and showed the dwarves what he could gather. As they inspected them and asked what they were, he explained to them what each weapon was. "They are heavy in hand, I'll admit, but in defense of your life, they will suffice."
"We paid you for weapons!" Gloin said. "Iron forged swords and axes!"
The others agreed that the weapons were cheap and useless, arguing with Bard. Halien tried to sit up, but Sigrid told her to stay laying down. "You should be grateful he could even manage those!" she said, straining herself as she stood. Looking to Bard, she bowed her head. "Thank you, Bard, these may not be much to them but we appreciate the effort you went through."
Bard could see how weary she was, how hard she was trying to look after the others, how strong she was trying to be for them. "Halien, there is no point in straining yourself further. You must rest." He said to her. She looked at him and saw his concern.
"I'll be fine. I need to check Kili's wound." She said.
Kili looked at her and nodded. He sat down and she knelt beside him, checking the wound.
"Kili, I can pull the shaft out, but it'll hurt," Halien said, looking at her friend. "Quite a bit. I can remove it with my earth magik, and pull it out using the wood of the shaft. Do you trust me?"
Kili looked from her to his uncle, to his brother, then back to Halien. "Always, milady."
Halien looked at Bard. "Do you have whiskey or something of the like to cleanse the wound? And something for Kili to bite down on?"
Bard nodded and fetched a flask and a roll of fabric that he wrapped around a piece of wood for her. Handing it to her, he stood back with the others and watched as Halien took the clean cloth Tilda gave her, wet it with the alcohol. She cleaned the wound and pressed firmly on his thigh.
"Are you ready?" she asked him.
When Kili nodded, Halien focused on her earth magik and began to direct the shaft out of the wound. Kili winced, then bit down on the clothed piece of wood, trying not to cry out in pain as the shaft moved through his muscles and flesh, the arrowhead still attached. Halien tried to direct it straight and upward, trying to avoid causing more damage than she could fix. It took her a few minutes, but the elf maiden was finally able to retract the entire remnant of the shaft from his thigh. Kili panted as Halien set aside the shaft piece, then took the bit out of his mouth when she started to heal his leg, using her magik to knit the muscles together again as best as she could.
After a while, Halien stood and sighed. "That's all I can do for now. The muscles are knit back together, but the wound is still deep and needs time to heal."
Kili felt his thigh and smiled a bit. "It feels better." He looked up at her. "Thank you, Aunt."
Halien smiled and kissed his forehead. "You have to promise to take it easy. I do not recognize the shaft nor the arrowhead, so I cannot be certain how long it will take for you to heal. Any strenuous activity will tear the muscles."
"I promise."
Bard was impressed with what Halien was able to do, but he sighed when he realized they needed to get back to the task at hand. "These are the best weapons you can find outside of the armory. Those weapons are under lock and key and constant guard, so there's no way for you to get in unseen." Bard explained.
Balin tried to talk to Thorin and when Bard heard Thorin's name be spoken, he had a look about him. He excused himself and was gone for some time.
While Bard was gone, Thorin took Halien aside. "Halien, we need better weapons. You know we do."
"I know, my love, but the best weapons are locked away in the armory," Halien replied.
"I know," Thorin said, looking up at her. "We're going to retrieve what we can and leave before first light."
Halien looked at the children, who were standing there amongst the dwarves unsure of what to do. Bain was left in charge while his father was away, but even he was clueless. 'Thorin, you mean for us to steal weapons from these people?' she thought to him. 'What if Smaug is still within the mountain? What if we wake him and he comes after Laketown? Are you willing to risk that happening?'
Thorin took her hands in his and held them firmly. "We need better weapons. We need a greater chance of being able to fight off the beast if it remains and should wake. I am only doing what I think is best for the company."
Halien sighed and nodded. "And that's why you want me to stay here."
Thorin felt his chest tighten and it seemed as if his heart were to fall into his boots. "I want you to be safe. If we get caught and there is a delay in our plans, then we may never reach the mountain in time to find the keyhole. If we get caught, I do not want the guards to touch you. It would be safer for you to meet us at the docks than to come with us right now."
Halien looked her husband in the eyes. "Do you still want me to come with you to the mountain? Do you still want me to see this quest through with you until the very end?"
Thorin searched her eyes as he replied, "Of course, Halien. I want you there with the company, with me, when we reach the hidden door. Your skills are going to be much needed if we face the dragon." He put a hand on her belly and smiled softly. "But I do not think that we should risk you or the babe any further, nor do I think that dream you had before we were married in Rivendell will come to pass."
Halien smiled. "You know I will always protect us: the company, you, and our son. If you still want me to stay here, then I shall." She looked at Kili as he struggled to stand. "I want to go with you, though, Thorin. My fire magik would be useful against the dragon."
Thorin pulled her down for a kiss. "Stay here, be safe. If we fail, and the dragon comes for this town, I need you to help them protect it. I need you to survive, for our son, for me."
"Very well, little king," Halien replied. "When will you leave?"
"Soon, when the light begins to fade."
Halien nodded and sat down. Thorin sat next to her and told her to rest for a bit. Halien nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the edge of the mantle.
It was not long after she awoke that Halien found the dwarves were gone. She looked at the gown Bard had given her and had a thought. She turned to Sigrid and Tilda. "Girls, may I ask you something?"
The two sisters looked at her. "What?" Sigrid asked.
"Your father gave me this gown. It was once your mother's?" Halien asked.
Tilda nodded. "Mama was so beautiful in it."
Halien smiled but felt a pain in her chest. "Is it alright with you that I wear it?"
The girls smiled. "It's alright, miss," Sigrid said. "It is yours now, so you may do with it as you choose."
Halien smiled and thanked the girls. They begged her to go and try it on, so Halien went to another part of the house, hidden from view, and changed into the gown. She had taken off her leggings, letting them dry by the fireplace, so she pulled on the gown and smoothed out the front, and smiled. She looked up when a loud bang came from the door.
"Da, I tried to stop them!" Bain said.
"How long have they been gone?" Bard asked.
Halien came around the corner, dressed in the gown that Bard had given Thorin for her. Bard looked up at her, his eyes widening. The gown he had handed to Thorin was a fur-lined wool gown dyed a brilliant blue- though it had faded with age- with a leather belt. Its long sleeves were cuffed with fur as was the collar and the hem. It reached her ankles and swirled around her boots. Halien looked up at him.
"What? Does it look weird?" she asked, pressing the gown against her sides.
"No," Bard said. "It looks beautiful on you."
Halien smiled. "It fits well and it's warm, so thank you, Bard."
Bard and his children looked at the elf maiden. She was beautiful and with her hair dry, it started to curl at its ends. She smoothed out the front of the gown and looked back up at Bard. She heard Thorin calling out to her with thought and knew something was wrong.
"Thorin…!"
