Thank you again for your patience and support. Hope you are entertained. Some of the dialogue is taken directly from the film. Please feel free to review and leave critiques for improvement. Cheers!

While Bain had been easy to get up and out the door after breakfast, his daughters, during their morning meal, had acted strangely. Or at least, more strange than normal. They'd sat at the table in a fashion not their norm, leaving Bard to sit next to Katun. The woman did not seem to be aware of the change, how could she when she'd only shared one meal with them so far, but Bard was quite aware of it. Additionally, Bard was not unaware of the way Tilda had purposefully bumped into Katun in the hallway, causing Katun to fall into his arms. After the fact, the woman had sputtered an apology, citing her continued healing process as reason for her clumsiness, but Bard had known the truth. Tilda had merely shrugged when he'd sent her a pointed look.

Sigrid had been less obvious than Tilda but even she had seemed to be inclined towards forcing Katun into closer proximity with Bard. Nothing about their behavior seemed malicious, in fact they appeared even warmer and more attentive to Katun than they had been the day before—if that was at all possible. Furthermore, Bard didn't particularly mind sitting near Katun or speaking with her whenever one of the girls opened up a conversation in such a way that he would be impolite to not speak to Katun. It was just that he didn't know the reasons behind their behavior, nor their goal, and so he made a mental note to ask his girls about it once he returned home in the evening.

When he'd left that morning, following after the excited Bain who'd mistakenly left behind his staff and cloak—leaving Bard to take both his and his son's—Katun had followed him to the door to help him balance the items into his arms. It was an odd thing, having a woman to say goodbye to in addition to his children. At her kind smile and well wishing, however, Bard realized he rather liked the change. As he and Bain made their way through his morning work of ferrying supplies hither and thither before working his way back towards the river where Thranduil's barrels would be, Bard allowed himself to think on what his acceptance of Katun's presence meant.

Of course, that could be one of the girls' goals: increasing the bond between himself and Katun to such a degree that neither would want her to leave even if she had the opportunity to do so. At that thought Bard laughed to himself, earning a confused and curious look from his son, the confusion of which he'd waved away with a smile. It was true that he hadn't had the mindset or inclination to pursue a woman after the passing of his wife. He'd been too busy with his children, with their survival as well, to much think about anything like that. Even if there had been a few nights scattered over the years where he'd lamented not having a woman to share his bed with, there hadn't been many options to choose from within Lake Town. Sure there were plenty enough pretty maids in the town but none with the desire to marry a widower with three children. Times were not so desperate as to make that option seem viable for the majority of the available women of his town. Bard had also never been inclined towards slating his physical desires with temporary dalliances as so many of his peers over the years had been. Therefore, he'd been celibate in mind and body for all of Tilda's life.

It surprised him, just how many years had passed, when he took the time to think about it. On some days it seemed just the day before when he'd had the ability to speak with his wife, whereas on others he would struggle to remember what she smelled like or what her laughter had sounded like. It seemed that now with Katun's presence, his daughters were making an executive decision and were inclined towards choosing her as their intended target for his future companion, be it wife or friend, or…in reality he didn't quite know what it was his daughters wanted out of his relationship with Katun, as new as it was.

Even though she had yet to discover much about herself from the past, from her present gentle nature and kindness, it was unlikely that she would be so different even if she did regain memories of her past. Yes, it looked that she'd been a fighter of sorts wherever it was she came from, but just because someone had the ability to fight did not mean that they often went around trying to start a fight. Bard had little worry in regards to who or what Katun was, though he was still quite curious as to why she would've washed down from Thranduil's court. There was no other explanation as to where it was she came from. It was the why a female human, of her appearance and abilities, would be traveling downriver from the elf king's court that had Bard partially concerned.

It was some hours later that Bard pulled the boat up to the dock near the river's mouth. He'd yet to disembark but he still paused, putting his hand on Bain's shoulder to keep him still. The forest was too quiet. Something was amiss. Just as it had been the day when he'd found Katun. Perhaps, and it would be most strange, there was another stranger to fish out of the water today. Not one to throw caution to the wind, Bard grabbed his bow and indicated for Bain to wait where he was. Bain didn't look too happy about that but Bard knew Bain would comply, for at least a little while. With this reassurance, Bard silently moved across the dock and onto land. He'd only just made his way over a knob in the hillside when he caught sight of a band water-logged dwarves hovering on the rocky hillside. He didn't have time to be ponder their presence before his presence was sensed soon after his appearance and one of the older, more powerful looking dwarves made to grab a nearby weapon. Bard released his arrow, his aim true, knocking the weapon out of the dwarf's hand. He quickly drew back with another arrow.

"Do that again and you're dead."

The dwarf looked across to another member of his band and Bard followed his gaze to see a dark-haired, fairly regal looking dwarf rise to his feet. Even from this angle, Bard could tell that this dwarf was a bit taller than the others and from the way he carried himself he was undoubtedly the leader. The other dwarves also began to stand in order to face him, except for a small number near the river's edge. Bard widened his eyes when he realized that one of the individuals lying there was a human male, unconscious from a wound, while beside him was a human female, with another individual, not a dwarf but also not a human, crouched near their side.

"That man is wounded." Bard kept his arrow notched and his aim sure as he looked from one dwarf to another.

"Aren't you a genius." The comment, as odd as it was, came from the human female and not from any of the dwarves. "Did you figure that out from the arrow sticking out of his shoulder or from the fact that he didn't wave at you when you first arrived?"

Bard was spared having to voice a response when one of the oldest looking of the dwarves stepped forward, though with his hands up, "Yes, the man is wounded. There's an orc-band on our tail."

"Orcs?" Bard raised his eyebrows. While he had told Katun just that morning that more goblins and the like had been spotted in Mirkwood, the idea of Orcs chasing after one rag-tag group of dwarves seemed a bit far-fetched.

"You don't think that we did this do you?" The woman spoke up again. She'd since struggled to her feet, the man still unconscious at her side, and now stood glaring at him, her hands on her waist in an undeniably defiant position. Her clothing was odd, not quite elven but most assuredly not dwarfish either. She was taller than even the tallest of the dwarves, though not by much. Her hair was wild about her head, dark and curly, and her skin color was similar to Katun's. At the reminder of Katun, Bard lowered his bow and unnotched his arrow. This group, the mixture of dwarves and human, also washing down from Thranduil's kingdom, was not a coincidence. They were connected, of that he was certain, and these people most likely held the key to unlocking Katun's past.

"You wouldn't happen to be from Lake town now would you?" The elder dwarf spoke up again and again moved closer. "And that barge that I see over there, it wouldn't happen to be for hire would it?"

Bard frowned. While he knew these individuals were connected to Katun, he also knew that dwarves were surly and distrusting of anyone not dwarvish. Once they got an idea into their heads it didn't matter what you thought about it, they would always follow through with their original plan. Bard had no notion of what idea these dwarves were currently following through on and so didn't know if he wanted to get his family involved with whatever it was they were up to. "What makes you think I'd want to help you?"

"Because those boots have seen better days, and that coat too." The elder dwarf gave Bard a tired smile, "No doubt you have mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

As if to answer his question, Bain appeared at the top of the hill, looking down on the group in absolute confusion. Bard gestured towards Bain and replied to the dwarf as his son came closer. "This boy and two girls." Bain came to stand beside Bard but Bard shifted just enough so that Bain was just partially behind him instead.

"And your wife, I imagine she's a beauty."

"Aye," Bard was growing tired of the small talk, "she was."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't meant to-"

"Oh come on, come on," the human woman stomped forward, "enough of the niceties."

Bard quirked his eyebrows at her, "What's your hurry?"

"Oh well aside from big, ugly things shooting at us-"

"Orcs."

The woman turned to one of the younger dwarves with a glare, "What?"

"The big, ugly things." The young dwarf smiled even though the woman was obviously unhappy with his interruption. "They're Orcs."

She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as she turned to face Bard again, dropping her hand in order to reply, "Right, aside from the big, ugly Orc-things shooting at us, and our near-drowning adventure down this here river," she gestured to the river behind her, "I'd say having a wounded companion is a fairly good reason to hurry."

The dwarf that had originally attempted to fight him off came closer and glared at him, "What's it to you?"

"I would like to know who you are and what you're doing in these lands." Bard crossed his arms over his chest.

The older dwarf laid a hand over his heart and bowed his head, "We are simple merchants from the Blue Mountains and we are journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills."

"Simple merchants you say?" Bard tried and failed to keep the incredulity out of his voice.

"Dwarves don't often travel with humans." Bain spoke up from beside him and all eyes turned to him. He blushed from the sudden onslaught of attention. "At least not from what I understand of them," he sheepishly added.

The leader of the band finally spoke, "We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?"

Bard looked past the group to the barrels that lay strewn across the shore. "I know where these barrels came from."

"What of it?" The leader questioned in return.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves, but I don't think it ended well." Bard turned his hardened gaze back upon the dwarven leader. "All of Lake Town's business happens by leave of the Master and he'd rather see you in irons than risk losing his wealth from King Thranduil." That much was true. Whether or not he wanted answers for Katun's sake, he had his own future vocation at stake should he chose to help these dwarves in much the same way that he'd helped Katun.

Before anyone could protest the elder dwarf spoke up again, "I'll wager there are ways of entering that town unseen."

"Aye," Bain said.

Bard added, "And for that you'd need a smuggler."

"For which we would pay, double."

Bard highly doubted that amongst the whole lot of them that they had nearly enough funds to pay him anything. But with his son standing nearby in observation, and with the assumed knowledge that these people were connected to Katun, Bard agreed to their proposition. It took some time but with the dwarves grumbling help, the barrels were loaded onto the boat. They were able to travel undetected through the lake's fog until they drew nearer the outermost outpost of the town. It was here that he had the dwarves crawl back inside the barrels. The humans were a bit more difficult. There were only enough barrels for the thirteen dwarves, the not-dwarf-not-human creature, and the small human woman. It would look very suspicious to have a wounded man aboard his boat after a simple retrieval mission. The wounded man, still unconscious, therefore had to be laid on-board with boxes and supplies piled about him in order to hide him. Once this happened, Bard arranged for the barrels to be filled with fish. Of course, he knew he would receive no thanks for his efforts, but he did gain at least a little satisfaction in doing this since up to that moment the dwarves, aside from the elder dwarf and the not-dwarf creature, had been as he'd expected: surly, distrusting, and evasive. Of the human female, he did relent and instead of filling the barrel with fish he instead wrapped it with some burlap and set some supplies on top, making sure to leave some space so that she could breathe. Before they rowed into Lake Town he still heard a few curses from her and he knew he'd not receive thanks from her either.

Bain, for his part, remained quiet and compliant, helping Bard whenever Bard asked him to do so, but he was for the most part overcome with curiosity and apprehension. He'd never accompanied Bard before on his errands and to have this happen on the one time he had ventured out, no doubt the boy was wondering just what it was Bard usually did on his errands. If this was routine or if this was abnormal for Bard as well. His son was not accustomed to seeing his father lie so easily to the inspection's officer at the toll gate, nor was he accustomed to seeing his father adjust to the less-than-legal actions such as he currently was embarking upon when he'd also lied outrightly to the Master's lackey, Alfred when he'd challenged the fish-laden barrels. All-in-all, Bard knew well that eventually he'd have to sit down with his son to talk about what had happened this day.

Once they reached an abandoned dock, Bard had Bain help the dwarves out of their barrels while he pulled away the supplies that had been holding the human female hostage in her own barrel. When she glared up at him, freed as she was, Bard had to bite back a smirk. Yes, she would not be giving him thanks any time soon.

"Bain," Bard turned to his son once the dwarves were on the dock, leaving only the humans aboard the barge, "go get your sisters and Katun. You must get this man to the house, as soon as possible."

Bain nodded and only after looking over Bard's shoulder momentarily to take in the sight of the fish-scale covered dwarves one last time, he turned on his heel and bolted down the rickety docks in the direction of their home. Bard turned and made his way through the dwarves. He would lead them around the longer route to his home, to discourage anyone who might follow them.

"Stay with your friend and my son will be back to fetch you." Bard spoke over his shoulder to the human woman, who looked none too happy with the prospect of being left behind. However, it seemed though surly like a dwarf she could understand sense when it came and so she nodded and settled herself near the unconscious man. Bard turned to the dwarves and whispered, "Stay close." He continued past them along the edge of a building and after peering around it, he signaled to them. "Follow me." He heard some of them speak amongst themselves as they hurried along and he had to harshly call to them over his shoulder, "Keep you heads down and keep moving."

It wasn't enough, however, and soon enough Bard heard the yells of the Master's guardsmen. "Halt!"

Bard glared down at the dwarves, "Come on, move."

He made a gesture towards the market near where they'd been spotted at the same time that he heard another guardsman call out, "In the name of the Master, halt!" Bard only had to make one more gesture before the dwarves scattered into the recesses of the market and Bard was left to face down the guardsmen on his own. He continued on his way away from both the dwarves and the guardsmen, in hopes that he could draw attention.

"Stop him!" It worked and Bard was stopped by two guardsmen barring his way.

"Oi!" Bard turned to face the head guard. He had been a nice enough fellow before he'd fallen in with the Master and his cronies. Now everyone in Lake Town mocked him behind his back. "What's going on here?" He looked around at the marketplace and signaled to his men to begin searching about. "Stay where you are. Nobody leaves."

"Braga." Bard called his name, pulling the guardsman's attention back to himself. "Sorry."

"You?" Braga raised his brows. "What're you up to Bard?"

"Me. Nothing. I'm looking for nothing."

Braga ignored Bard and began to move further into the marketplace where the dwarves were hidden. Thinking fast, Bard reached down and grabbed a sheer chemise to hold up. "Hey Braga." He waited until the man turned to look at him before he added, "Your wife would look lovely in this."

The head guard moved back towards Bard, a confused frown on his face, "What do you know of my wife?"

"I know her as well as any man in this town." Bard managed to maintain his feigned smile until Braga had stomped away, taking the rest of the guardsmen with him.

Not wanting to risk further incursion from the Lake Town guardsmen, Bard managed to convince the dwarves to follow along under the docks and houses as he made his way home. It would not be easy for the dwarves to follow, but then again, it would not be easy for Bard to explain the sudden presence of thirteen dwarves, three humans, and a not-dwarf-not-human creature in his house either.