Title: Thoughts in the night chapter Ten

Author: Dís Thráinsdotter

Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien´s characters, I merely borrow them.

Rating: M

Summary: Glóin sits thinking about his life one night when he can't sleep. Post Hobbit but before LotR.

The people of Laketown received us in an astonishing manner and all of us were inside the city within a couple of hours. We had been looking at the town while Thórin, Fili, Kili and Bilbo had gone there in order to get aid for all of us. The rest of us lay on the ground, looking at the houses that had been built on a wooden platform anchored in the ground by poles. It was the largest dwelling that we had seen since leaving Rivendell and to us it looked very fine. Admittedly we had passed through the area where the people of Mirkwood live but as we had been blindfolded at the time we didn't see it.

Suddenly we heard people playing instruments and singing, snatches of songs could be heard across the water and I am sure there must have been a great din in Laketown. Soon afterwards a group of people came out to us, politely inviting us into the city, which we all agreed to do. They showed us the way to the Bridge that connected the city to the shore and when we came to the large square it seemed to us as if the better part of the population could be found there. They gave us food and drink, a healer treated the bruises we had received and also the old whip marks left by the Orcwhips and a house was given to us to live in during our stay. The only one who truly needed care was Bilbo, he had caught a head cold and the healer gave him the medicines he needed.

We were quite angry at the Wood elves, so we told the young healer what had happened to us. Needless to say she was very angry when she heard our tales and the Raft elves received cold greetings from her. She even offered to go with us to the Mountain but Thórin told her to stay but come quickly if he sent for her, and the young woman promised to do that. Apart from board and lodging, we also received clothes in our proper colours and supplies so we could continue our journey to Erebor.

The Master of Laketown was very happy to see us leave, as far as I understood it all work came to a stand-still while everyone gathered at the house we stayed in. Some of the songs they sung made us feel uneasy but they were clearly inspired by the Master who had his thoughts on trade and the gold it would give the town. As we left the young healer waved to us on the boats and we felt happy to be so close to our home. That is, all save Bilbo.

TBC