I was summoned to meet Lord Thranduil, I was glad about this as I had a few questions of my own to ask him. But as I arrived at the central platform on which his throne stood, I saw the man I spoke to before... Reck. He was facing Lord Thranduil as well.
"Here she is, Lady Raine." Lord Thranduil gestured for me to stand next to Reck, I moved besides the man as the guards stayed at the top of the stairs. Moving next to Reck I glanced to my right at him and then back at Thranduil. "I assume you both know why you are here?" Thranduil spoke glancing between the two of us. Reck stayed quiet as I balled my hand into a fist,
"We are related, are we not?" I asked Thranduil, Reck stayed still and standing tall, "Why have you or Lord Elrond never told us about each other's existence? Why have you kept us in the dark for so long? Why now?!" I yelled at Lord Thranduil, "You both have kept quiet and kept us apart for so long. Why is it that I meet by relative in a place like the dungeon?" I stepped forward towards Thranduil who stayed on his throne, Reck was glancing between me and Thranduil to see how his adoptive father was going to react to my blatant aggressive behaviour towards the Lord.
I stopped feeling a tear fall down my cheek, touching my face I sighed and took a deep breath,
"There's a lot I've been told not to tell you. But I was told this, once you found each other you both needed to leave this place. Now I don't normally do this but... I will make you a deal." Thranduil started as I looked up at him, "I will let you... And the dwarves go if you promise to bring me back what's mine from the mountain." Thranduil spoke,
"If we just walk out of here the dwarves will suspect that I've made a deal like that with you." I replied,
"Well then, how about we stage a daring escape." Thranduil rolled his eyes,
"I've got a better idea." I looked at Thranduil, "tell me what you want, and I'll tell you how we will escape. I will take it as my share." I looked over Thranduil's face,
"There are gems in the mountain, as bright as star light, they belonged to someone I once cared about, and I would like them back." Thranduil explained,
"Done." I didn't think about it. I just wanted out of here and I wanted to talk to my relative. "We have another company member who your guards did not catch. He will most likely find a way in and manage to get us out. However, we choose to get out try and hold back." I explained.
Lord Thranduil nodded as Reck walked forward looking worried,
"I've never been outside of Mirkwood... Who are we? Why are you making me leave." Reck was worried,
"I believe Legolas has been training you to fight and you have managed to fight off some of the spiders from our lands, you will survive the outside world. Raine has been living on her own for many years now. She will help you."
Thranduil explained, he looked between us. "You are also twins. Reck you are the eldest by ten minutes I believe." Thranduil looked at me as my jaw dropped, Reck turned to face me, and I turned my head towards my brother.
I saw a smile creep on Reck's face,
"Twin?" Reck spoke,
"That's explains..." I started.
"A lot." Reck finished, I smiled at Reck and stepped forward towards my brother,
"My weapons will need to be retrieved, apparently the bow and arrows are mine and the sword is now yours." I explained, Reck smirked,
"That's good, I'm not too skilled with a bow. Better with a sword." Reck nodded, "I'll go get them and we can say Legolas gave them to me." Reck explained as I nodded,
"Yes, you will have to try and bump into us, and we will probably pin you down and I'll persuade the company to let you come along. Balin seems to have figured out that we are related anyway so he will help with persuading the others." I nodded.
After discussing further what the plan would be to escape and what possible routes Bilbo would take us down, I was escorted back to my cell and Reck stayed not far from the cells to keep an eye out.
I was pushed back into the cell and Thorin walked over to me immediately and placed his arms on my shoulders,
"Are you okay?" He asked, I smiled and placed my hand on his cheek,
"Yeah." I nodded as Thorin frowned and wiped his thumb gently across my cheek,
"You've been crying. What has he done?" Thorin growled,
"Nothing... I just learnt some amazing information." I smiled at Thorin as he looked confused, "I have a twin brother." I moved back against the wall and sighed, "Now I understand what Elrond meant by my other half. A twin... My brother." I shook my head in disbelief,
"Was that the man who sang that song with you?" Balin asked from his cell,
"Yes. Thranduil introduced us and tried to make a deal with us. I turned him down because of the fact that he and Elrond have kept both me and Reck a secret from each other for many years and I feel like I can't trust them." I frowned and closed my eyes, "People keep lying to me over and over..." I sighed. Thorin stepped closer to me and took my hand,
"I would never lie to you." Thorin spoke, leaning forward I kissed his lips gently.
Later on, myself and Thorin had cuddled up together again as the other dwarves spoke,
"I'll wager the suns on the rise. It must be nearly dawn." Bofur called,
"We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori sighed, just then in front of our cell Bilbo appeared, I smiled at the hobbit as Thorin looked at him with a face full of relief,
"Not stuck in here, you're not!" Bilbo held up some keys as I stood up with Thorin,
"Bilbo!" Balin exclaimed, the dwarves started rallying and Bilbo had to hush them.
"Shhh! There are guards nearby!" Bilbo called, Bilbo unlocks Thorin's cell and lets him out. He then proceeds to let all the dwarves out of their various cells, and they chuckle gleefully at their good fortune. Some of the dwarves start walking in a certain direction.
Some of the dwarves start walking upwards as they get out, though Bilbo stops them,
"Not that way, down here. Follow me." Bilbo spoke and proceeded to lead the dwarves and myself through the Woodland Realm, and they whisper indistinctly.
Part the way down my brother stepped out casually in front of the group and looked up at us as he was reading a book. Thorin quickly jumped on him and pinned the man down as I gasped and grabbed Thorin but knelt and covered Reck's mouth,
"Thorin, no!" I held his wrist up as he was about to knock Reck out, Thorin looked at me, "This is my brother." I looked at Reck,
"What do you want me to do? If we release him, he'll tell the guards we are out." Thorin snapped quietly,
"Then let's make him come with us." I suggested, Thorin frowned and looked down at my brother,
"They do know the same songs, I doubt now that they've found each other they will want to lose each other again." Balin explained,
"Thranduil wants Reck to stay here but Reck told me before I was sent back to the cell that he wants to leave." I looked over Thorin's face as he looked back at me,
"Fine." Thorin gave in as I grinned, I leaned forward and kissed Thorin's lips gently,
"Thank you." I whispered, "Now, don't scream or shout, okay?" I looked at Reck who was glaring at Thorin, but he nodded all the same. Thorin stepped off Reck and I helped Reck to stand, he hugged me suddenly and squeezed me slightly.
"I won't let you down." Reck whispered as I nodded.
"Right... Let's go." Bilbo nodded and we all walked forward as Reck held my hand for a moment but then followed us through.
We sneak through the halls of the Woodland Realm, and eventually find themselves in the wine cellar. The elves there are sound asleep around a table, with several empty bottles of wine in front of them. Bilbo leads the us further in.
"This way." Bilbo explained as I looked at Reck,
"I don't believe it; we're in the cellars!" Kili explained as I heard the dwarves are getting mad at Bilbo.
"You were supposed to be leading us out, not further in!" Bofur exclaimed,
"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo snapped back,
"Shhh!" Bofur hushed everyone,
"This way." Bilbo gestured everyone to move down the stairs.
We sneak into a large room in which several barrels are stacked sideways down the middle of the room. All the barrels have one end open.
"Everyone, climb into the barrels, quickly!" Bilbo pointed at the barrels.
"Are you mad?! They'll find us!" Dwalin glared at him,
"No, no, they won't, I promise you. Please, please, you MUST trust me!" Bilbo begged, Reck grinned as he seemed to know what Bilbo was trying to suggest,
"Trust him, it's the perfect way out, I know where this leads to. It takes you down a river right out of the Woodland Realm." Reck explained as the dwarves started bickering until they hear a commotion in the distance.
"Do as he says!" Thorin instructed, each of the dwarves climbs into a barrel. Bilbo walks along, counting to make sure all the dwarves have been accounted for, myself and Reck got in some barrels near the front with Thorin.
"What do we do now?" Bofur asked, all the dwarves stick their heads out of their barrels and watch Bilbo as he walks toward a lever in the ground.
"Hold your breath." Bilbo answered as he walked to a lever,
"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" Bofur asked,
Bilbo pulls the lever, and the part of the floor that the barrels were on tilts downward into an opening; the barrels roll out the opening and fall several feet into a river that runs beneath the Woodland Realm. We all yell as we fall, and the barrels make loud thumping noises.
Landing in the water I was covered from the splash. I looked up to see where Bilbo was, I hope he gets down safely. The floor tips and Bilbo falls into the river, yelling. He surfaces and grabs onto Nori's barrel. Thorin and the company, still in their barrels, cheered at Bilbo.
"Well done, Master Baggins." Thorin grinned as he turned and lead us all out.
Bilbo, half drowned, waves his hand in thanks and manages to splutter out a word.
"Go." Bilbo called,
"Come on, let's go." Thorin moved ahead as we all paddle with our hands as the river pulls their barrels along; elves rush along passages in the Woodland Realm. The dwarves emerge into the sunlight, and Thorin sees a waterfall right in front of them.
"Hold on!" Thorin yelled and looked back at me.
I, Reck, the dwarves, Bilbo, and the barrels plunge through the rapids, then float swiftly down the raging river. Legolas, followed by other elves, emerges from a gateway, and sees us floating away.
"Holo in-annon!" Legolas yelled, at least they were making it look like they didn't want us to escape... An elf with him blows on a horn; as the company round a corner in the river, they see a guard post built above the river. The heavily armoured elves standing guard there hear the horn and come to attention; one of them pulls a lever, causing a heavy metal sluice gate to block the river. The dwarves in their barrels come to a stop at the gate, unable to float further.
"No!" Thorin yelled, the barrels pile into each other; the elven guards draw their swords, but one is suddenly shot in the back with a black arrow. Several growling orcs swarm over the guard post, killing the elves. Multitudes of orcs run in from the bushes, with Bolg.
"Watch out! Those are orcs!" Bofur yelled to warn us as I was trapped under the bridge with Reck and Thorin,
"Gorid! Zib! Goridug!" Bolg yelled, the orcs begin throwing themselves at the dwarves in their barrels; Bilbo manages to kill one with Sting, and Dwalin elbows another in the face. Kili looks up and sees the lever the elven guard had pulled earlier. He manages to get out of his barrel and runs up the stairs toward the lever.
"Kili!" Dwalin yelled, I could not see what was going on, Dwalin, who had managed to grab a sword from one of the elves or orcs, throws it to Kili, who I assumed was trying to get close to the lever. Fili throws a short sword or dagger and kills the orc. I could hear fighting above and was hoping that Kili was close to the lever.
"Kili!" I heard Fili yell,
"Kili." Thorin called hoping his nephew was okay.
An orc leaps over to kill Kili, but an arrow suddenly flies into its head. Kili looks over and sees Tauriel running through the bushes. She shoots another orc, then kills others with her knife.
"Gor'-ash! Gor golginul!" Bolg yelled, several orcs rush at Tauriel; Legolas and other elves appear from the bushes and shoot them down. As Tauriel, Legolas, and the other elves fight the orcs, Kili manages to grab the lever and pull it, opening the sluice gate and letting the dwarves in their barrels through. He then falls on his back again in pain. The dwarves in barrels fall down another waterfall and float down the river. Bolg sees them.
"Khozdayin obguryash! Abgurid!" Bolg yelled,
"Kili!" Fili called as I saw him fall off the ledge and into his empty barrel below. As he lands in it, the shaft of the arrow in his leg breaks off on the edge of the barrel. The remaining dwarves and Bilbo plunge over the waterfall and continue floating down the rushing river, as Bolg and his orcs follow the river on land.
We try to paddle and steer with our hands, but to no avail; the river is running too wild. As we come to a narrow part of the river, orcs on either side begin shooting arrows at us. Meanwhile, back at the guard post, Tauriel continues fighting orcs. Legolas leaps to the top of the guard post as well.
In the river, an orc leaps at Thorin in his barrel, but he manages to kill it with a sword he grabbed earlier. Tauriel, Legolas, and the other elves run after the orcs chasing the dwarves, shooting them. An orc jumps from an overhanging tree branch toward Balin, but Thorin throws his sword and pins the orc to the tree; as the orc drops its weapon, Thorin catches it while floating beneath him, and he throws back to Bombur, who throws it to Nori, who throws it to Fili, who kills an orc with it. An orc leaps onto Dwalin barrel, only for Dwalin to headbutt it off and steal its axe. The dwarves see a low-hanging tree branch stretched across the river in front of them, with several orcs on it.
While all this was happening, I was staying low in my barrel, until an Orc jumped on top of mine, I screamed as he pulled me up and grabbed my hair,
"Raine!" Thorin and Reck yelled, but I smacked my hands together to stop the blade the Orc was holding from piercing my chest, an arrow flung into its head and the Orc flew off the barrel as I grabbed onto the Orc crafted blade. I looked up at Legolas as he jumped at another Orc on the edge of the river.
Looking over to Reck I could see an Orc ready to jump on him,
"Reck!" I yelled and chucked the blade towards him, and he caught it, though he also drew his silver blade and stabbed the Orc as it jumped behind him. Reck used all his strength to then throw the Orc in another direction which flew over my head and collided with two airborne Orcs which had tried to jump at myself. I laughed and cheered at Reck as he grinned at me.
"Not too bad!" I spoke.
"Cut the log!" Thorin then yelled as he floats under it, Thorin hits it with his sword, then Bofur hits it with his weapon, and Dwalin, right behind him, hits the branch with his axe, breaking it and causing the orcs on it to fall into the river. Bilbo manages to climb atop a floating barrel.
"Bombur!" Dwalin yelled, Dwalin throws his axe to Bombur, who kills an orc that had just jumped onto his barrel. The Orc's spear ends up pinning it to an overhanging tree branch; the other end of the spear catches onto Bombur's barrel and catapults it through the air and onto the riverbank, where the barrel rolls and tramples multitudes of orcs. The barrel flips through the air to the other side of the river, where it tramples more orcs. Eventually, the barrel comes to a stop, and orcs surround it; however, Bombur kicks out the bottom, then sticks his arms holding axes through the sides. He then starts spinning rapidly with the axes extended, mowing down all the orcs around him. He then runs toward the river, tosses his axe to one of the floating dwarves, then gracefully jumps into an empty barrel.
Meanwhile, Legolas, Tauriel, and the other elves have caught up to the dwarves and orcs, and they fight the orcs. At one point, Legolas leaps over the river and lands with a foot on the heads of two dwarves, from this vantage point, he shoots orcs on either riverbank. He aims carefully and manages to skewer two orcs through the head with one arrow. Legolas continues fighting orcs, using the heads of floating dwarves as steppingstones to get across the river. While he is preoccupied fighting an orc, another orc runs up behind him and raises its sword to kill him; Thorin, from his barrel in the river, throws his sword and manages to kill the orc behind Legolas. Legolas and Thorin look at each other with some sort of understanding; Legolas stops pursuing them as the dwarves continue floating down the river. It seems like all the orcs are dead.
Reck manages to get closer to my barrel as the river started to calm down,
"Anything behind us?" Thorin called,
"Not that I can see." Balin replied,
"I think we've outrun the orcs." Bofur cheered,
"Not for long; we've lost the current." Thorin explained,
"Bofur is half drowned." Dwalin grabbed onto Bofur,
"Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!" Thorin instructed, me, Reck, the dwarves and Bilbo paddle to the riverbank; they climb out onto a slab of rock jutting out a bit into the river.
I manage to get to the side, but my barrel falls forward and I splash into the water, Thorin and Reck ran to my aid and as I look up I both see them offering their hands to me. Blinking I place my left hand in Reck's and my right in Thorin's. The two lift me from the ground gently and I stand up straight,
"Are you okay, sister?" Reck asked as I look at him with a smile,
"I'm okay." I replied, though what I didn't see was Thorin glaring at Reck,
"Are you sure? You have no wounds like the last fight we had with orcs?" Thorin asked, I looked at Thorin and grinned,
"I'm sure." I replied as Reck was glaring at Thorin.
I walked ahead as I saw Balin and Bilbo looking between Thorin and Reck as I headed to the others to help Kili.
"Come on!" Dwalin lifted Kili with the help of Fili to another rock. When Kili is on the rocks, he falls to his knees in pain from the arrow wound in his thigh; it has been bound with cloth, but blood is seeping through. Bofur looks at him concernedly.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." Kili spoke trying to put on a brave face.
"On your feet." Thorin called to the group,
"Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding." Fili called,
"There's an orc pack on our tail; we keep moving." Thorin replied,
"To where?" Balin asked, we weren't going to be able to travel with Kili in the state he was in now.
"To the mountain; we're so close." Bilbo explained,
"A lake lies between us and that mountain. We have no way to cross it." Balin answered,
"So then we go around." Bilbo suggested,
"The orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves." Dwalin replied,
"Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes." Thorin explained as I felt like I could do something to help but I didn't know what.
While they bind Kili's leg, some of the dwarves sit down and Ori kneels by the river to empty his boot of water. Unbeknownst to them, a man, sneaks up over the pile of rocks and aims an arrow at Ori. As the dwarves realise a man is there, they jump up, and Dwalin, holding a branch, leaps in front of Ori. He raises the branch and begins to charge the man, but the man shoots his arrow, and it embeds itself right in the middle of the branch, between Dwalin's hands. Kili raises a rock to throw, but the man shoots the rock out of his hand too. I look at the man, but the sun was right behind him making it hard to see his face.
"Do it again, and you're dead." The man's voice spoke, I didn't need to see his face because I recognised that voice.
"Bard?" I spoke, Reck and Thorin looked at me and then at the man, Bard lowered his bow as I looked at him,
"Raine?" The human stepped forward as I grinned and ran towards him with open arms,
"Bard, it has been too long!" I cheered as he was surprised by my arms around his neck, but Bard placed his hands on my shoulders as his arms stayed above my wast, "What are you doing here?" I asked,
"I could ask the same of you." Bard stepped back and nodded towards the dwarves and then the barrels.
I chuckled nervously and placed my hand behind my neck,
"Long story... But we need help. We need safe passage through Laketown." I explained as Balin walked forward,
"That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?" Balin asked,
"What makes you think I will help you?" Bard looked at Balin as my jaw dropped,
"Excuse me." I spoke and Bard flinched as he looked at me, "I helped you on your wedding day, and I also helped your wife deliver two of her three children. I would greatly appreciate your help." I smiled at Bard as he looked at me, I knew Bard from before he met his late wife. She was a lovely woman, and I was there at their wedding day, such a lovely couple.
"We'll need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?" Thorin stepped forward, Bard looks at the barrels and examines the various dents and nicks they received during the fight with the orcs.
"I know where these barrels came from." Bard spoke as he looked at me,
"What of it?" Thorin asked,
"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 Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil." Bard turned towards me as Reck stepped forward,
"I can assure you that there will be no ill will from Thranduil if you let us pass." Reck spoke, Bard boards his barge and tosses a rope to Balin. I sigh and walk up the barge,
"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen." Balin challenged Bard,
"Aye. But for that, you will need a smuggler." Bard nodded as he looked at me,
"For which we will pay double." Balin explained as I closed my eyes in instant regret. Bard looks at him suspiciously.
Bard paddles the dwarves and Bilbo across the lake in his barge. It is very foggy, and the barge pushes aside ice floes. Suddenly, large stone formations appear out of the fog.
"Watch out!" Bofur yelled, Bard expertly poles the barge between the rock formations, which turn out to be ancient ruins.
"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin protested,
"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard replied,
"Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin snapped as my jaw dropped,
"You will do no such thing." I glared at Dwalin, "You can trust him." I spoke,
"There seem to be a lot of men that we need to trust by your account recently." Thorin spoke as I looked at him,
"Jealous, are we?" I placed my hand on my hip as I glared at Thorin, "I have lived for just over hundred years and you know I have travelled to many places, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I know a lot of people. And out of all the people I've met there is only one that I truly care about. Get that through your stubborn head." I explained to Thorin before turning and walking over to Bard.
I sit on the back of the boat near Bard as I saw him smirking,
"What?" I snapped, Bard shook his head,
"You and a dwarf." Bard spoke, I blinked,
"Yes, me and the dwarf. I care about him very much." I spoke,
"He doesn't seem to trust you." Bard spoke quietly,
"We've been through a lot... Especially recently." I sighed, Bard looked at me and smiled,
"He'll get over it. Don't worry too much." Bard spoke as I looked towards the dwarves. They were all sat together trying to sort out their payment. I made eye contact with Thorin as I sighed and folded my arms.
Reck walked over to me as Bard walked over to the dwarves, I looked up as the fog cleared and saw it. The lonely mountain, Erebor. My jaw dropped slightly as I turned fully towards the lonely mountain, we were almost there... So close.
"The money, quick, give it to me." Bard looked at Thorin,
"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin snapped,
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead." Bard explained as I turned my head away from the mountain and saw Laketown appear into view.
Bard's barge is stopped at a dock just outside the city; Bard hops off and speaks to a man. Meanwhile, the dwarves and Bilbo are hidden in the barrels on the barge. I stayed leaning against one of the barrels as Reck stood next to me, I waved at the man that Bard was talking to as Bard pointed our way.
When I saw how Bard was going to get the dwarves and Bilbo in, I covered my mouth until all the fish were poured on top of them.
Bard poles his barge toward the gate of the city; on deck are the 14 barrels all full of fish, with a dwarf or hobbit inside as well. I stand next to my brother near the front as we arrived at Laketown.
"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard." The Gatekeeper called, Bard brings him boat up to the gatekeeper's office, and the gatekeeper steps out to see him.
"Morning, Percy." Bard spoke,
"Anything to declare?" Percy spoke,
"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home. Oh, and we have an old-time visitor come to say hi." Bard gestured towards myself, Bard hands the gatekeeper some papers.
"You and me both. And hi Raine, it's been a long time." Percy nodded,
"I know. Too long." I walked over to them both. As the gatekeeper takes the papers and goes into his office to stamp them, Bard looks around warily.
"Here we are. All in order." The gatekeeper returned and held out Bard's papers, but a man, Alfrid, suddenly steps out of the shadows and grabs the papers.
"Not so fast." Alfrid reads Bard's papers, then looks at his load. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard?" Alfrid tosses Bard's papers to the wind and approaches him, with some of Laketown's soldiers behind him. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman." As Alfrid says this, he picks up one of the fish from a barrel and holds it up to Bard. He doesn't see Bombur's eyes looking up from the gap where the fish had been.
"That's none of your business." I snapped at Alfrid as he looked at me,
"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which makes it my business." Alfrid sneered at me
"Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat!" Bard sighed,
"These fish are illegal." Alfrid throws the fish he was holding into the water, then commands the soldiers. "Empty the barrels over the side." The soldiers, led by their captain, Braga, move to comply.
"You heard him. Into the canal. Come on, get a move on." The soldiers begin tipping the barrels over and letting the fish fall into the canal.
"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard tried to reason with him,
"That's not my problem." Alfrid sighed,
"And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?" Bard and Alfrid stare at each other intensely for a few seconds, then finally Alfrid raises his hand to the soldiers.
"Stop." Alfrid spoke, the soldiers stop tipping the barrels over. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favour now, bargeman, but it won't last." Alfrid walks away.
"Crawl back to your hole." I muttered, Alfrid looked at me and then grabbed my chin harshly, I winced as his grip was firm,
"Be quiet woman, remember your place." Alfrid pushed me into the barrels, I gripped onto the side and closed my eyes. Alfrid walked off with his soldiers.
"Are you okay?" Bard walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder,
"I'm fine." I snapped, "Never hated someone so much in my life." I glared,
"Guess he still hasn't gotten over you publicly embarrassing him." Bard chuckled as I placed my hand at my lower jaw gently rubbing,
"Are you sure you are okay, sister?" Reck walked over and stood at my side, I just nodded as Bard looked at Reck realising what he said but didn't question it as he walked to the back of the barge.
"Raise the gate!" Percy called; he gave me a sympathetic look as I sat down at the edge of the barge. A large portcullis blocking the channel is raised, and Bard begins to pole his barge through. As he passes, Alfrid turns around and shouts to him.
"The Master has his eye on you; you'd do well to remember. We know where you live." Bard yelled,
"It's a small town, Alfrid; everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard yelled back, I sighed as I watched Alfrid disappear out of view, the dwarves probably saw or heard that commotion. I don't usually let a man touch me like that, but I don't want to cause any more trouble for us.
Laketown; it's a town built in the middle of the lake, and it looks quite poor and ramshackle. There are many channels of water throughout the town, through which various boats float. Bard poles his barge down the main channel.