The Legend of the Green Lady (Remastered)

by FuzzyBeta

When Ariel's brother is cursed by a witch there is only one way to save him. She must find the one ring and destroy the evil Sauron. There's just one hitch. First, she must help one hobbit and thirteen Dwarves reclaim their kingdom from a deadly dragon's claws. Oh and look, there's also elves, witches, Orcs, Wargs, and a Necromancer. Won't this be fun? Thorin/OC Rated T(remastered)

16. Troubled Waters

Chapter 16: Troubled Waters

A blackened scorching hand, missing an index finger, traced over the smooth dark orb, a lock of red-brown hair held delicately between its third finger and thumb.

"Find the girl," A deep guttural voice whispered into the darkness. "Show her to me."

And with that, another blackened hand took a single strand from the lock and dropped it onto the dark orb.

At once, the thin string sank through the surface of the orb as if it were not made of stone but water, with glowing and shifting colours swirling fast within its core.

The two black hands gently placed the small clump of hair down beside the orb, one of them remaining to hover over the orb. Above, a pair of sharp, piercing fiery eyes glimmered in the dark, their gaze narrowing as their owner concentrated with all his might upon his prey.

It didn't take him long to finally see what he sought as a slightly warped image of a young woman became visible to him through the surface of the orb.

She was drenched through and through, her red-brown hair hanging lankly around her bedraggled scrawny form. She was wearing a pathetically thin and torn white dress underneath a now worn-out green corset. Her neck and left arm were both heavily bandaged, but the rest of her body seemed more or less unscathed if a bit pale due to the cold.

However, upon her left hand, on her ring finger, he could still see a gleam of iron and green.

Hidden in the shadows, the Dark Lord Sauron's mouth twisted into a malicious smile as he saw the young woman quickly make to help secure a makeshift bandage around the thigh of a young dark-haired dwarf. Beside him, another young dwarf with golden hair and a beard berated him as he tried to refuse the offer for medical treatment.

So she has made it back to her little troupe of friends? How fortuitous.

Sauron's eyes flashed as he watched the girl give an affectionate peck on the forehead to the young dark-haired dwarf, not noticing another stout figure in the background gazing at her with sad blue eyes.

Hmm…now this is interesting. Thorin Oakenshield, the proud heir of the Durin bloodline, the true king under the mountain, staring besotted at a bedraggled human waif?

The sneer on the Dark Lord's lips grew wider as he made to watch the girl again, as she now silently chuckled and laughed with the two younger dwarves, still blissfully unaware of the banished king staring at her back with wistful sadness.

Perhaps this blunder might prove useful after all.

---

Thorin opened his mouth to speak, but at that precise moment, there was a sharp twang…the twang of a taut bowstring…

Everyone wheeled about to see Dwalin holding up a large tree branch in his strong hands. A black arrow stuck straight through it.

Ariel's eyes darted upwards in alarm to see a tall outline of a person silhouetted by the bright burning morning sun behind them. Their features were cast completely in shadow with the harsh lighting, but she could still make out the shape of their bow as they fitted a long dark arrow into place.

Ariel gripped on tight to Fili, who pushed her protectively behind him as Kili picked up a large rock in his hands, ready to throw. However, before he could even raise it to complete the action, their attacker shot their next arrow, which didn't hit the dwarf but merely flicked the rock out of his hand so that it landed close to the watery edge of the river.

"Do that again", a gruff voice clipped as its owner fitted another arrow to the bowstring ", and you're dead."

Ariel squinted as a cloud finally blotted out the sun behind the attacker, allowing their face to be seen.

It was a man, tall and dressed in worn, tattered clothes. His hair was dark and slightly shaggy as it blew a bit behind him in the wind and about his face. It was rugged and handsome, and the sight of it almost would have made Ariel blush had it not been for the grim scowl splashed across it as his keen eyes warily surveyed the strange company before him.

"Excuse me, but you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken."

The stranger's fingers twitched on his bow and arrow as Balin made to cautiously step forwards, recognition sparking in the old dwarf's eyes.

"That barge over there it wouldn't be available for hire by any chance?"

"Hire?" The stranger frowned and lowered his bow and arrow. Then suddenly, he scowled. "Sorry, but no, I can't help you. My only job is to collect the barrels. If you want a ferryman, you could try further east along the banks of the lake."

"uh…yes, we could do that…I suppose", Balin fumbled for words glancing behind at Thorin, who shot him a meaningful glare.

Ariel gulped as both dwarves silently argued between one another because the bargeman was beginning to roll the barrel's they had travelled in onto the small barge he'd docked just around the bend in the river to their right before making to undo the ropes that held the boat in place.

She quickly kicked a pebble at Bilbo's furry feet, and he quickly coughed, making to speak up once more.

"Yes, well…um, we could catch a ferry, it's true. But you see, sir, we're kind of in a hurry, and well…as you can see, two of our number are injured."

And just as he spoke, this Kili indeed did buckle and slump back into the rock behind him, clutching at his leg.

"And what makes you think I would help you?" but even as Ariel watched, she could see the small flicker of concern in the bargeman's eyes as he glanced at the injured dwarf.

So…he does care…but he's facing just as tough a time as well with his lot in life…

She reasoned, as did Balin, who quickly cottoned on to Bilbo's negotiation attempt.

"Well, those boots have seen better days. As has that coat-" he nodded to the man's shabby coat, but by god, Ariel thought did it still look warmer than the rags she wore. "-and no doubt you have some hungry mouths to feed. How many bairns?"

"A boy and two girls. My eldest is probably around her age" the bargeman now glanced up at Ariel, who looked faintly surprised. With a face like his, she'd thought he'd have young children at the most.

But then again, mum and dad were like that too… They always looked younger than they actually were…

She mused, trying her best to ignore the pang in her chest as Balin made to smile good-naturedly.

"And your wife, I imagine, is a beauty."

At this, the bargeman paused, his face now tense.

"Aye…she was…"

Ouch…way to go, Balin.

Ariel almost face-palmed as Balin fumbled with apologies.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

"Oh, come on, come on. Enough with the niceties." Dwalin growled from his spot beside Thorin.

The Bargeman heard him and straightened up his eyes, narrowed suspiciously.

"What's your hurry?"

"What's it to you?" Dwalin grunted.

"I would like to know who you are. And what you are doing in these lands?"

But something told Ariel that the man already knew (or suspected) a little bit more about them than he was letting on, even as Balin made to smile and say pleasantly.

"We are but simple merchants from the Blue Mountains. Journeying to see our kin in the Iron Hills."

"Simple dwarvish merchants, you say?" the bargeman raised his eyebrows as he looked over all the company before his eyes settled on Ariel.

"And what is that young woman doing with you?"

"She's our cousin." Fili blurted out desperately, though even he knew it was feeble beyond measure.

"She's human." the bargeman stated bluntly, but Thorin's eyes only narrowed even further as he countered swiftly and decisively:

"Nonetheless, she's one of us."

"And again, I ask what is a human woman doing travelling amongst Dwarves." The bargeman looked Ariel up and down sharply, then looked at Thorin, who growled.

"That is none of your business. She is our friend, and she is under my protection."

Ariel blinked as a stunned silence fell over the company as they turned to gape at their leader.

Even Bilbo was looking surprised. Of all the company to come to her defence, Thorin Oakenshield was certainly not his first choice, even if he was beginning to warm up to the girl.

Have I swallowed too much river water or something?

The hobbit wondered, only to shake himself as Thorin continued to speak, paying no heed to the rest of the company's astonishment.

"We need food, supplies, weapons. Can you help us?"

The bargeman considered him closely before turning his gaze down to the somewhat battered wooden barrels that now were laden in his boat.

After a moment of deliberation, he spoke quietly.

"I know where these barrels came from."

"What of it?" Thorin stiffened, as did everyone else in the troupe, all confusion replaced by fear once more.

The bargeman's eyes hardened, but Ariel was relieved to see that it was not hostile, just stern.

"I don't know what business you had with the elves. But I don't think it ended well. No one enters Lake Town but by leave of the Master. All of his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He would rather see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil."

Balin's face fell as he turned back to look at the company.

"Offer him more." Thorin mouthed as he caught sight of Ariel miming the same words from behind the old dwarf's back.

Balin nodded and quickly turned back to address the bargeman before he could finish untying the ropes that held his barge in place by the dock.

"I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen."

"Aye," the bargeman nodded, "But for that, you'd need a smuggler."

"For which we would be willing to pay double," Balin murmured.

There was a heart-stopping silence as the strange bargeman straightened up to his fullest of heights and stared down at all the dwarves, the hobbit and the girl that stood before him.

They were a motley crew…but something in him told him in his guts that they weren't bad. At least not completely. He did not trust their leader, the grim dwarf with the dark hair flecked with grey. Something about him seemed…wrong…like there was something sick growing within him. He could not quite point it out, but it was definitely there, festering in the dark depths of those blue eyes.

But still…he was a desperate man, and he was already late for his shipment of these barrels. The Master would definitely dock his pay a fair bit for the delay, and he needed the money for his family.

"Alright then", he murmured, almost resignedly, "I will do what I can. Now get on quick. The current is coming back in."

---

Celegon's eyes lifted from his spot beside three horses and a sturdy rabbit-drawn sled as he heard the sounds of the three sorcerers waft down towards him from the tall mountain pass.

He took a puff out of his smoking pipe, straining his ears as he caught a snippet of Radagast's bumbling voice spluttering.

"But why have they disappeared now? I don't understand-"

"The ringwraiths have been summoned to Dol Guldur" Gandalf's voice was terse as he slid down a few rocks to land squarely on the flat road beneath.

"But it cannot be a necromancer," Radagast shook his head as he turned around a bend in the path. "A human sorcerer could not summon such evil."

"Whoever said it was human?" Nuldien spoke up as she followed close behind the two older men, not noticing her husband in her grimness.

Gandalf nodded in agreement. "Nuldien is right. The Nine only answer to one master. We have been blind Radagast. And in our blindness, the Enemy has returned."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Celegon raised his head, taking his pipe out of his mouth to speak softly but tersely.

"Well, that explains a lot. Last I checked, Azog, the defiler, was no ordinary Orc."

"No, he's most definitely not" Gandalf's gaze hardened. "He is a commander. A commander of legions. And his presence in the open can only mean one thing. The Enemy is preparing for war. It will begin in the East. His mind is set upon that mountain."

At these words, Nuldien at once began to stride over towards her horse, untying it from the tree she had tethered it to, ignoring the other's frowns.

"and where do you think you're off to Nuldien" Gandalf called as she made to put her foot in the stirrups.

"To find my daughter", the red sorceress snapped, "You honestly cannot expect me to sit around and wait for my baby girl to be caught in the middle of all this mess. I started her on this quest. I cannot forsake her. Not when she is in such grave danger."

"Nuldien wait" Celegon reached forwards to tug his wife away from the horse before she could mount up. "If what you all say is true, then the whole world is in danger."

"Your husband is right." Radagast nodded vigorously. "You can try and hide your children forever from the eyes of the enemy Nuldien. But the power in that fortress is only going to get stronger unless we do something about it in the here and now."

"I almost hate to admit this, but Radagast has a point" Gandalf nodded solemnly. "I myself had promised to return to the company of Thorin Oakenshield by Durin's day at the mountain. But now it seems I will not be able to do so unless this matter has been taken care of once and for all."

"Nuldien…" Celegon murmured, gripping his wife's arms comfortingly as she made to struggle against him fiercely, "I know you're worried, and so am I…but if we are to save our children from the Enemy's wrath, then we must confront him head on. Our time is up. We can't keep running from him anymore. What kind of parents would we be if we kept running away from our problems instead of showing our children how to face it head on."

"I know Celegon!" Nuldien groaned in exacerbation, "I know that all too well…but…"

She sighed heavily, as did Gandalf, who stepped forwards with as comforting a smile as he could muster.

"Nuldien…I have seen many a warrior strive through this world, and I can tell you without a shred of doubt, If anyone has the courage to get through this war, it's your daughter. Now come. Let us get off this dark and dismal mountain. We have a necromancer to deal with."

---

Ariel shivered on her spot on the barge. The wind blowing about the boat seemed chillier as it passed over the water, and no matter how much she hugged herself into a tiny ball, she could not seem to create enough energy to keep herself warm.

Thankfully Bilbo noticed this rather early on, and quietly whilst the others were talking amongst themselves, he approached the bargeman that stood at the rudder by the stern of the boat.

"Um…excuse me", the hobbit coughed quietly, trying his best not to look away under the man's piercing wary stare. "but I was wondering…um…my friend there she's well…she's freezing and um…"

Bilbo's voice fell away as he glanced back at the head of the shivering young girl behind him. He was glad to see that when the bargeman's eyes followed his gaze, his expression relaxed somewhat. Indeed, the hobbit noticed, the man looked rather worried as he spoke softly.

"In the bag to my right, there are a couple of blankets. Give her both but make sure her chest is properly covered. Also, there is a bit of bread leftover. Make sure she eats it all, for it will help give her some strength."

Bilbo sighed with relief.

"Thank you, mister…um…"

"Bard." The bargeman, or rather Bard, nodded, the corners of his mouth barely twitching upwards. "And you are?"

"Baggins, Bilbo Baggins" Bilbo gave a polite bob of the head before asking, "The bag to the right, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was" Bard nodded, eyeing the hobbit with amused intrigue as he made to quickly rummage through the bag and pull out two large pelts bigger than himself.

As a citizen of Lake Town, Bard had heard of Halflings' tales, though most of them were more along the lines of children's fairy stories. To see one in real life was most odd indeed.

Bilbo, however, paid no heed to the man's observations and instead made to carry the heavy blankets and a small roll of bread over to the bow of the boat where Ariel was sitting in between Fili and Kili, who was still grimacing in pain from his injury.

She looked almost relieved when she saw the blankets in the hobbits arms.

"Thank goodness", she mouthed silently as Fili helped her wrap up tight inside the dry, warm cloth.

"Here, take this too" Bilbo handed her the bread roll, which she accepted hesitantly.

"Aye, good thinking, laddie." Oin nodded approvingly at the Hobbit "a full stomach will warm her right up from the inside out"

After wordlessly offering some to the rest of the company, who all, of course, refused her, she began ravenously tearing off huge chunks of it with her teeth.

"Che! Look at the lass go" Gloin smirked to the others fondly, and Bofur chortled.

"Like a wee pup with a bone."

However, from his spot by the boat's side, Thorin winced his face a mask of pity and guilt. The bandages on Ariel's left arm had started to loosen, revealing the hideous burnt skin beneath.

He turned away, doing his best to avoid Balin's worried eye, even as the old Dwarf made to stand next to him and speak softly.

"Why so blue, laddie? We're out of that accursed forest finally and are on our way to the Lake Town."

"I know…" Thorin grunted, but his fists clenched on the sides of the boat as he chanced a glance back at the girl.

Balin followed his gaze, his lips pursing as he too looked over the young woman's burnt arm.

"Thorin…" the old dwarf sighed, "whatever may have happened in the past, the lass is safe and sound now. you needn't worry-"

"No, I do", Thorin hissed very quietly. "I do Balin, look at her. Look what that monster did to her! I-I won't…Balin, I'm sorry, but she won't come with us to that mountain."

"But Lad, she's come all this way-" Balin tried to protest, but Thorin shook his head.

"And this is as far as she's going to get while the dragon still lives." the dwarf prince glanced at the burn mark on her arm through the corner of his eye "Balin…you keep telling me to look hard at someone before I pass a judgement on their character. Well, I have looked hard, and I am telling you, she can't go to that mountain, not after that hell she's just been through. She won't cope. And I'm not saying that because of past prejudices. She is a brave, loyal and good person, yes, but everyone has their limits, and I think if we were to push her in front of a fire breathing beast, we'd be hurting her far worse than any torture that Necromancer could contrive."

Balin opened his mouth to speak, but for once, he could not find his words. At least at first. After a moment of collecting his thoughts, he swallowed and then spoke, nodding with a small smile.

"The lass has grown on you."

"…perhaps…" Thorin stiffened as the old face split into a knowing twinkling smile.

"So much so that you would name yourself her protector?"

"Someone might as well have." Thorin snorted. "Besides…it might just keep Fili or Kili from courting her-"

"Thorin!" Balin frowned sternly, but Thorin chuckled under his breath.

"Relax, Balin. I was only joking."

"I should hope so." The old dwarf shook his head ", or else you'd be in for real trouble from both your nephews."

"I thought you said there was nothing between any of them besides brotherly affection?" Thorin rolled his eyes, still very much amused.

Balin rolled his eyes as he quickly turned and coughed pointedly to the others.

"Now, gentlemen, turn out your pockets and let me count out our smuggler's pay."

But even as the old dwarf made to hold out his hands for the money, he couldn't help but watch curiously as Thorin turned back to the company. What once had been hard and cold deep blue eyes were now soft and warm as they watched Ariel giggle behind her hand at the hilariously mulish disgruntled looks on all the dwarves faces.

Oh laddie

Balin sighed softly to himself as he saw the dwarf prince's lips quirk upwards in a small smile, a gold ring glimmering around the centre of his deep blue irises.

I really hope you were joking about that last bit…

---

"Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world, it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was, so it will always be. In time all foul things come forth."

King Thranduil's voice was cold and icy as a winter blizzard as he stared down at the orc kneeling on the floor before his throne, with his son Legolas holding his blade to its throat, whilst Tauriel stood watching on silently.

When the younger elf spoke, it was with a forcefulness bordering on pure loathing, barely held back by his usual remarkable self-restraint.

"You were tracking a company of thirteen dwarves and a human woman. Why?"

"Not Thirteen", the Orc rasped, "Not anymore."

Tauriel's face tensed as the Orc made to sneer.

"The young one. The black-haired archer. We stuck him with a Morgul shaft. The poison's in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon…and by the time he does, we shall have the little green witch, and we shall feast on her fresh flesh."

"Answer the question, filth!" Tauriel snapped, fingering her blade on her belt.

The Orc saw this and snarled venomously in the black disgusting speech of his people.

"[I do not answer to dogs, She-Elf!]"

There was a metallic cling sound as Tauriel's knife quickly snapped out of its sheath just as Legolas's own blade pressed harder against the foul brute's throat from behind.

"I would not antagonise her."

"You like killing things orc?" Tauriel's eyes were hard and full of hatred and contempt as she looked upon the leering dark creature before her. "You like death? Then let me give it to you!"

And as quick as lightning, her blade swung out in a slicing action.

"HALT!"

Thranduil barked loudly, and his guard captain's knife halted in mid-air just above the Orc's forehead.

"[Tauriel. Leave. Go now]" the elven king ordered sternly, and Legolas glanced up from his prisoner to quickly look at his friend worriedly.

However, she seemed to have composed herself once more and before anything more could be said, she was striding away from the throne room and out of sight.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Thranduil addressed the Orc once more with bitter disdain.

"I do not care about one dead dwarf. Answer the question. You have nothing to fear. Tell us what you know, and I will set you free."

Legolas grimaced as he saw the deceitful gears turn in the orc's head as he considered his options.

"You had orders to kill them? Why? What is Thorin Oakenshield to you?"

At this, the orc gave a low feral growl.

"The dwarf scum," he spat, "will never be king."

"King?" Legolas snorted, "there is no king under the mountain, nor will there ever be. None would dare enter Erebor whilst the dragon lives."

"You know nothing of power. We burned the little Istar runt. We burned her till she lost everything…lost her voice…lost her powers… we burned her like we shall burn the world."

"What are you talking about? Speak!"

At this, the orc smirked.

"Our time has come again", he hissed. "My master serves the One. And the One takes all. Do you understand now, Elfling? Death is upon you…the flames of war are upon you!"

There was a flash of silvery metal, a horrible squelching and cracking sound. Suddenly Legolas found himself holding onto just the head of his prisoner whilst the rest of his body, neck and all, fell to the ground with a heavy thump, shivering as the shocked nerves jolted throughout the corpse.

"Why did you do that?" Legolas dropped the severed head and turned to his father, who quickly sheathed a blade back into his belt without even so much as batting an eyelid. "You promised to set him free."

"And I did", Thranduil muttered coldly…unflinchingly. "I freed his wretched head from his miserable shoulders."

"There was more the Orc could tell us." Legolas frowned, but the elf king just narrowed his eyes.

"There was nothing more he could tell me,"

"Not even more about the new istari we seem to have recently accommodated?" Legolas raised a brow. "I thought there were only six of them that were sent to Arda during the dark ages. And the only woman amongst them bore the token colour red, not green."

"And so there were." Thranduil fixed his son with an unreadable expression. It looked like he was torn between irritation and discomfort. "But even if that child was of such a race, she certainly did not show any of its bearings of wisdom or power. And therefore, it doesn't change the consequences she must face for her actions."

But even as Legolas watched his father turn his back, he could not help but ask.

"What did he mean by the 'flames of war'?"

"It means they intend to unleash a weapon so great it will destroy all before it," Thranduil murmured before calling out for all his guards present to hear. "I want the watch guard doubled at our borders. All roads, all rivers. Nothing moves that I don't hear of it. No one enters this kingdom, and no one leaves it."

"Of course, father" Legolas nodded once before setting off down a nearby bridge to walk up to the great gates to the realm.

Thranduil watched him go for a moment before quickly turning his head back to follow a path to his quarters, his face a mask of worry and uneasiness.

That girl was an Istari the Valar sent to aid the free races of Middle Earth? But that's not possible! That cannot be possible! There is no way in all of Arda that a child could achieve such a task? Let alone one so crass and uneducated.

He scowled darkly as he lightly rubbed at his chin with his long pale fingers.

Though he'd never openly admitted it, for a small thing, she had a surprisingly hard slap, like a fledgling tree branch that was whipped by the wind. His scowl deepened as he remembered the rude gesture she'd made in his face and the proud smirk that Thorin Oakenshield gave at his shock.

But then he also remembered the fear in her eyes and the worry that seemed to emanate from her when he had approached her with his deal the night before. She had seemed especially disturbed by his warning about the corruptive influence of magic rings.

She obviously knew more than what she was letting on. Perhaps that was why her throat had been damaged, and she had been traumatised, the King mused to himself quietly. So she could not put a voice to their enemy's full plans—a sadistic method of silencing one's enemy's, to be sure, but an effective one.

But there was still the matter of that horrible ring she wore. Why give a magic ring to a measly little sorceress only to have one of your servants try and kill them before they have become a threat?

"Guards. Take this accursed body and burn it outside, and send one of the servants up to clean any remaining filth here." Thranduil ordered swiftly, and at once, two guards came to drag the body and the dismembered head away.

But the elf King paid them no heed as he swept from the hall and out of sight.

---

The Orcs that were scouring the Great Forest River banks of Mirkwood were restless as the scent of blood hit their noses from a series of rocks just below.

They scuffled and snorted, sounding more like the travesties of disgusting pigs as their leader, a great pale skinned orc with armour over his head and chest and carrying a mace in his big hands, sniffed the air.

"[Search the rocks]" he hissed, and at once, his pack followed him dutifully down onto the rocks below.

One of them, a quick small scout with dark skin, bent down quickly by a spot on top of one of the small boulders where a torn up piece of wetted and dirtied white cloth was lying half stained in a pool of dark red liquid.

He reached down with grubby pudgy fingers and picked up the rag bringing it up to his face. He sniffed it once or twice before lightly flicking his tongue over the patch of blood.

"[Dwarf blood!]" he hissed sneeringly to his leader, who was once again sniffing the air, his lips curling with disgust.

"[there is another scent…man-flesh!]"

He quickly strode up over the rocks and under a tree where a series of small wooden posts were positioned on a slab of stone, rather like a dock.

The orc pack leader growled with displeasure as he followed the trail of the river before him as it vanished into the strange mist that hung about them.

"[They have found a way to cross the lake]"

"[There is something else]" another orc leered as he took the white rag from the scout that had found it and inhaled from it roughly "[The girl the master wants found was here as well.]"

The leader's head snapped around sharply.

"[Are you sure?]"

"[Very sure! I would recognise that foul scent anywhere]" the orc hissed, and at once, its fellows began to shift excitedly in their spots.

Their leader smirked.

"[Which of you maggots is up for some witch-hunting?]"

---

"Loitare."

Everything was dark. She was standing on something cold but smooth. It could have been rock, but it could just as easily been smooth black ice.

"Loitare."

The voice called again as a breeze gently flickered over her bare shoulder.

She turned around slowly, horror filling every fibre of her being as she beheld a tall smoky figure, not quite solid yet not entirely fluid. Its face was horrible, gaunt with skin pulled tight around the skull and horrible sunken glowing eyes. On top of the long remains of dead hair, upon its head, was a tall spiked crown.

"Who-who are you?" Ariel spoke.

Yet even as she spoke, eight more glowing ghostly figures suddenly floated into being behind the first, all of them reaching out with pale, withered, claw-like hands.

"Join us, Loitare-"

"Watch out!" a voice yelled.

Ariel woke up with a gasp and a jolt from her spot on the floor just as the space around her made to turn gently to the left, narrowly avoiding hitting a great stone pillar that had suddenly loomed up before them out of the misty waters.

Oh no…oh no-no-no-no-NO!

The pillar's stones were old and grey and covered in dark moss, and Ariel could not help but see a haze of dark clouds above her head as pale ghostly, ghastly faces stared her down.

"HEY!" a voice cried out, but already she was on her feet darting towards the side of the barge.

She struggled silently but wildly as several hands made to pull her away from the railing and push her to sit back down. One pair of hands, in particular, caught her attention, for whilst they were firm, they were much smaller than hers.

"Ariel! Stop! Stop! It's us! It's me! It's Bilbo and the company! Come on, wake up!"

Ariel's eyes were a blur as tears streamed down her face, but she could still discern Bilbo's voice from all the fear.

The hobbit's heart almost broke in two as the frightened girl in front of him gave a choked sob and flung her arms around him, holding him close.

"That's right, Ariel, just calm down. It's alright. You're safe now," Bilbo murmured as he made to pat the girl gingerly on the head and back. He tried to comfort her just like his mother used to do when he was a young child, though she would then make him a cup of tea to make him feel better afterwards.

However, he was almost jolted out of his soothing state when the boat made to move again, this time to the right so that it passed narrowly between more ruinous remains of buildings.

Thorin rounded on Bard at the barge's stern, his face incensed as he held onto the side railing.

"What are you trying to do drown us?"

Bard spared him a look of calm disdain.

"I was born and bred on these waters, master dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here."

"Oh, I've had enough of this lippy Lake-man," Dwalin grumbled darkly as he stepped away from where Ariel and Bilbo were crouching on the floor. "I say we throw him over the side and be done with it."

"Bard, his name's Bard" Bilbo shook his head with irritation as he made to drape the blankets Ariel had dropped, back around her body snugly.

"How do you know?" Bofur asked curiously.

"Because I asked him" Bilbo rolled his eyes before turning back to gently pat down Ariel's shivering shoulders as she looked up at him nervously.

"Bard is the man we met by the bank. And now he's helping to ferry us across to Lake Town, remember?"

Ariel thought back for a moment and then nodded tremulously.

"I don't care if he's helping us." Dwalin snorted as he glared sidelong at the bargeman in question. "I still don't like him."

"We do not have to like him. We simply have to pay him" Balin sighed with exasperation as he sat at his spot on the front of the boat where a stall keeper had turned over a crate to make a makeshift table, on which many silver coins were being piled up and re-counted after they'd been spilled over.

Ariel suddenly felt very guilty about her panic attack, and she gave the old dwarf a very apologetic glance, to which he only smiled kindly back.

"Don't worry, lass. I needed to do a re-count anyways. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." he added sharply to the other members of the company, who all grumbled and groaned as they fished about in their pockets.

Only Dwalin and Thorin did not bother checking themselves for extra coinage since they had given up the last pieces of their money first.

"How do we know he won't betray us?" the old bald warrior muttered to the prince whose eyes narrowed as he glanced back at Bard, who was watching them all with wary intrigue.

"We don't."

Thorin quickly turned to Fili and Kili, who had just settled themselves down on either side of Ariel again and were doing their best to comfort her quietly.

"Quick, braid her hair. Make it look like yours," he hissed softly.

Ariel looked up at him quickly, her brow furrowed with confusion.

"Lake Town or Esgaroth, as it's truly called, used to have a lot of trade with Erebor back before the dragon came." Thorin explained gently, "So whilst this bargeman doesn't know our purpose; he will know something of dwarvish customs. And as we've told him, you are one of us; it would be strange if you did not bear any braids symbolising your allegiance. Even if you are human."

Ariel nodded meekly and bent her head down to allow both Fili and Kili to reach for her hair on either side of her head.

"How should we do this?" Fili muttered to his brother as he did his best to comb through her damp locks with his fingers. "half yours, half mine?"

"hmmm…yeah, that might work If you braid it back like this", Kili grunted, tugging back the front section of her hair and holding it back behind her head, just like how he usually wore his.

Despite herself, Ariel couldn't help but relax slightly as both brothers made to tie back each side of the locks they'd grabbed and braid them into something that felt like a Celtic knot at the back of her head.

"There you have it, Uncle. Now, all we need to do is find a way to shrink her, and she could pass off for quite a fetching dwarrow lass." Kili smirked for a moment before grunting and clutching at his injured leg.

"hmm…looks like something yer sister Dis used to wear when she was younger, you remember?" Dwalin muttered at Thorin, who nodded with a small fond smirk.

"Yes, I remember." Then he turned to Ariel, his eyes softening. "You should tie your hair back more often. It suits you well and allows everyone to see your smile."

He completely missed the surprised looks on everyone's faces as he turned to address Balin, who was still counting all their money.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something big here?" Ori muttered under his breath to Nori, who shrugged just as perplexed. Oin and Gloin, too, shared odd looks with Bifur, Bofur, Bombur and a very shocked Fili and Kili.

Dwalin, meanwhile, was looking at Balin, his gaze hard and wary as his brother quickly coughed and made to clear his throat loudly:

"Ahem, there's just a wee problem with the money. We're ten coins short."

And we all know who has those coins!

Suspiciously, all eyes turned to look upon Gloin, who spluttered indignantly as Thorin raised his eyebrows at him.

"Gloin. Come on, give us what you have."

"Don't look at me! I've been bled dry by this adventure, and what have I seen for my investment?" Gloin grumbled, not noticing his brother Oin's face suddenly split into a dazed look as he caught sight of something high up in the distance.

Everyone else turned to look, including Bard, who had been watching his new passengers closely as they all rose to their feet to gape open-mouthed.

Oh…my…god…

Ariel felt her heart almost stop in her chest as a patch of mist moved aside from her line of vision.

It's…it's…

"Bless my beard", she heard a couple of dwarves murmur in awe under their breaths.

"Take it!" Gloin quickly shoved a small sack of money into Balin's limp hands. "Take all of it."

It was a tall, strong mountain with a snow-capped peak and deep shadows as whatever light from the overcast skies hit its rocky sides. A mountain so magnificent that even from this distance, one could feel its presence looming over them as if they were standing at its actual base…like a great watchful giant beast…

A beast…a dragon…

Ariel quickly grabbed for the hand nearest to hers, and she was relieved when she felt Bilbo's familiar fingers lace in hers and squeeze them tight in reassurance.

"We're finally here!" he murmured, his eyes still transfixed upon the mountain.

There was the thudding of boots on wood, and the Hobbit coughed as Bard strode up to them with a grim expression on his face as he held out his hand.

"The money quick give it to me."

Thorin's face turned grave at once.

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

Ariel stiffened, waiting for the argument to burst forth from the man; however, she was surprised to see instead that his dark, sharp eyes were more worried than angry.

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

Ariel quickly turned her head sharply just as the mist began to thin out before the view of the bow.

She could faintly see a dock some way off and several people marching up and down it.

She made to tug hard on Thorin's sleeve and pointed quickly to the approaching dock.

The dwarf prince sighed heavily as he turned back to Bard.

"What do we do?"

"All of you," Bard gestured towards the dwarves and Bilbo ", get back into the barrels. And you", he pointed at Ariel. "You go to where my bag is there and hide in that with the blankets."

Ariel nodded, and quickly she made to scarper off towards the bag just as the dwarves made to clamber into the barrels.

As she made her way back into the large bag of rough material, Ariel pouted to herself. Hitherto that moment, she had almost always followed the company's same directions when it came to her safety, and now that she was not doing so, she found herself feeling strangely left out.

Well, at least I'll be warm…

She reasoned in her head as she managed to hide her hair beneath a blanket, leaving a small gap for her to get air.

She watched carefully as she saw Bard's boots walk around the boat for a while before suddenly vanishing from sight.

Her heart was hammering in her chest as a heavy silence ensued for a good ten minutes.

Oh, please don't sell us out! Please, oh please!

She bit her lip as she carefully tried her best to peer out from under her coverings without being seen.

She was relieved when she saw Bard's feet come back into view alone onto the boat, that was until he made to call out loudly.

"Alright, load them up!"

Something creaked loudly, and Ariel winced as what sounded like several large fleshy things pelted down from above like gigantic raindrops.

"Mahal, what's with all these fish?!" She heard one of the dwarves all grunt and curse softly as the dead marine life pelted down from on top of them, filling the barge with a strange fishy smell that made Ariel's nose burn.

Ok, I take it back. I am so glad I'm in this bag!

She clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from gagging, only to feel a foot gently nudge at her side.

"Keep quiet!" Bard whispered as he made to manoeuvre his boat's rudder carefully, "we're approaching the toll gate."

Ariel took a deep shuddering breath, doing her best to drown out the fishy smell from her nose before making to lie as still as possible.

She could hear people talking indistinctly in the distance and hear the barks of dogs and the bustle and grunting of pigs.

What? Who the hell could keep pigs here out on a lake?

But Ariel did not have time to dwell on livestock living on watery towns, for a man's voice had called out loudly.

"Halt! Goods inspection. Paper's please!" a man's footsteps stepped over something wooden as the barge came to a halt, bobbing gently in the water.

"Ah, it's you, Bard," a man's voice called out, warm and friendly.

"Morning, Percy!" Bard responded warmly.

"Anything to declare?" the gatekeeper, Percy, asked politely.

"Nothing but that I am cold and tired and ready for home," Bard smirked.

So far, so good

Ariel almost sighed with relief as she heard Percy chuckle softly as he made to hit something on paper. A stamp, maybe?

"You and me both. There you are. All in order."

"Not. So. Fast." A slimy, slithery voice spoke up suddenly. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only they're not empty, are they Bard?"

Crap, we're busted!

Ariel bit her lip as she saw Bard's grubby boots pause and his legs tense as another pair of scrawnier legs, donned in dark silk pants and shoes made from shiny black leather made to step onto the barge followed by other legs clad in armoured boots.

It was the owner of the black shoes that spoke again with a sneer.

"If I recall correctly, you're licenced as a bargeman, NOT a fisherman."

"That's none of your business," Bard made to clip, trying to sound as coolly professional as possible though it was clear his contempt for the slime ball of a man was hanging by a bare thread.

"Wrong." the slimy man leered. "It's the Master's business, which makes it my business."

Oh, so you're the little greasy bucket of filth that cleans up after the head a-hole, are you?

Ariel snarled silently as Bard sighed heavily.

"Oh, come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat."

But the slime ball, Alfrid, only gave a callous snort.

"These fish are illegal."

There was a plopping sound, and Ariel clapped a hand over her mouth just as she saw a dead fish get flung off the side of the barge and back into the water.

"Empty the barrels over the side."

Ariel shut her eyes as she could only guess guards made to bark out orders and step onto the barge towards the barrels.

She held her breath as one of them stepped close to her hiding spot and barked.

"What is this?"

"My camping equipment," Bard snapped, and the boots quickly walked away from Ariel, who silently sighed with relief though it was short-lived as she saw two of the barrels before her tilt as large hands pushed them.

She saw a hole in one of the barrels, and for a split second, when the light passed through it, she caught a glimpse of Nori's red plaits.

Oh crap! Oh crap! We're so royally screwed now!

As she panicked silently in her own hiding spot Bard rounded desperately on Alfrid. "Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce-"

"That's not my problem", Alfrid hissed.

OH, you lowlife disgusting piece of shit!

For the first time since she'd left, Dol Guldur Ariel was glad she was mute, for she was sure she would've absolutely blown up in Alfrid's face then and there.

Whether he knew it or not, Bard seemed to share the young girl's contempt for the despicable excuse for a human being in front of him, and he made it known in his tones as he said.

"And when the people hear the Master is dumping dead fish back in the lake? When the rioting starts…will it be your problem then?"

Ariel gulped as the top layers of fish began to shed from the barrels and back into the water.

Any moment now we're going to-oh crap my nose-

"Stop!" Alfrid's voice snarled reluctantly, and Ariel shut her eyes as the tilted barrels paused in their places before being hauled back up to stand vertical.

"Ever the peoples champion, eh Bard?" Alfrid sneered as the boots of the town guards thudded off the barge. "Protector of the common folk. You might have their favour now, bargeman, but it won't last."

Bard only narrowed his eyes upon the Master of Lake Town's lackey as he made to turn away, trying his best to hide the relief in his eyes.

But what came next was worse than anything that had just happened so far.

Something drastic happened.

Something that made all the dwarves and the hobbit in their barrels all freeze to the core.

"WAAAHCHOO!"

As soon as the great big sneeze had exploded into the silence, Bard felt his gut sink like a stone.

Glancing through the corner of his eye, he saw that the bag in which the girl had hidden was stiff though he could hear a tiny snivelling sound as she wiped at her nose.

Just my luck!

He cursed mentally only to quickly backtrack as a small voice nudged him in the back of his mind.

She can't help it; she's barely keeping herself from shivering to death anyways.

He should've known that the girl would be still almost half-frozen, even if the girl were hidden in the bag with the blankets. She barely had much on her save the rags on her back, and even then, they were soaked through icy waters.

There was a flash of black as all the guards and slimy figure of Alfrid made to turn around, and Bard quickly put a hand to his face and feigned a large sneeze of his own.

"Ahchoo! Ah-ah-Achoo! Oh, pardon me. What cold weather we're having, eh Percy?" he shook his head as he wiped his nose on a handkerchief from a pocket, using the opportunity to recheck the bag as well as the barrels.

None of them was moving, and there wasn't a sound, save for good old Gatekeeper Percy, who was still smiling pleasantly as he made back to his post at the docks.

"Oh yes, it's very nippy. My wife reckons it may even snow tonight. You make sure you and your youngins' rug up warm when you get home, Bard. Raise the gates!"

"I will, thank you, Percy," Bard smiled at the old man's concern as the Toll Gate began to ascend before him. Percy was a merry old soul, a good man, not like Alfrid, who was still standing at the dock and glaring suspiciously at the bargeman eyeing the bag on the deck behind him.

However, since he could not see any other sign of anyone on board the barge, he only made to sneer.

"The Master has his eye on you, Bard. You'd do well to remember. We know where you live,"

"It's a small town, Alfrid", Bard snorted as he made back to the rudder of his boat and steered it forwards. "Everyone knows where everyone lives."

Ariel could not help but smirk a little with respect at that last bit. If there was one thing she could admire in a person, it was the ability to give good comebacks, and Bard certainly scored high by her standards.

Bard…

She bit her lip and frowned to herself.

Bard…why does that name ring a bell?

But even as she tried to think, she felt a foot nudge her side.

"They're gone", Bard muttered softly, and with a sigh of relief, she poked her head out from her hiding spot.

Bard pursed his lips as she looked up at him, her face a mask of guilt as she mouthed.

"Sorry"

"It's alright", He sighed as memories of his own children when they were sick popped into his mind, though if he was honest with himself, the girl looked far worse for wear at the moment.

His face softened as she shivered involuntarily.

"Are you still feeling cold?"

Ariel gave a tiny nod as if reluctant to tell him, but Bard didn't show any sign of being angry at all, though he did say:

"It's a good thing Alfrid is fairly stupid. Or else that could've gone a lot worse."

Ariel couldn't help but scowl at the mention of that slime ball's name as she mouthed.

"Slimy bastard."

Bard's eyebrows rose in surprise and amusement at the girl's brazenness.

"Yes, he is pretty foul. However, I don't think your friends." he glanced at the barrels before him. "Would approve of your language."

At this, Ariel blushed with embarrassment and mouthed another apology, but Bard just chuckled.

"It's alright! Besides, you're so quiet anyways. And also, you're cold, hungry and wet and travelling with dwarves. I'm just surprised you weren't swearing beforehand."

Ariel shrugged before miming shivering actions.

"You're cold?" Bard frowned as he tried to understand her.

She repeated the gesture and then stopped before pulling out her watch necklace and tracing it anti-clockwise.

"Oh, you would've sworn, but you were too busy shivering before?"

The girl nodded.

"I see" Bard nodded thoughtfully as he turned back to steering the barge. After a moment of silence, he quickly looked down and asked.

"Can you read and write?"

Ariel nodded, her brow furrowing a little.

"Good, that might make communications much easier."

Now she almost face-palmed.

Writing! Why didn't she think about that before? If she could've written down what she had meant to say back in the Woodland Realm, she might have been able to help the dwarves make a more peaceful exit.

Apparently, the dwarves seemed to think of that because she could hear Dori and Ori grumble softly under their breaths.

"Shh! Enough we're here." Bard snapped as he made to slow down his boat before a dock where he tied a mooring rope tight to a pole to keep it steady.

Ariel quickly scrambled out of the bag as the bargeman made to push over a couple of barrels filled to the brim with grey slimy fish.

One by one, the dwarves scrambled out of their odd hiding places covered in fish scales and, in some cases, fish guts as they were tipped onto the ground.

Some were strong enough to hoist themselves before the bargeman made it to them, including a very irate Dwalin and a bewildered Bilbo Baggins.

EWW! Gross!

Ariel almost gagged, clapping a hand over her mouth. Thorin came up from the barrel closest to her, pieces of broken off fish flesh and scales stuck in his dark, grey streaked hair.

"What are you complaining about?" He scowled darkly up at her mostly dry, clean form with envy. "You didn't have to deal with fish all over you."

Rather you than me!

Ariel just waved her hand in front of her nose before turning away to follow Bilbo off the barge as quick as possible, just as Bard shoved a coin into the hands of an innocent bystander who stared at the stowaways with quiet curiosity.

"Stay close." the bargeman muttered before motioning for Ariel to come up behind him.

"You come first behind me-" but even as Ariel nodded and made to step forwards, Thorin grabbed her arm.

"Why her at the front?"

If this was some trick to get him and the others to comply-

But Bard only rolled his eyes back at the dwarf with a heavy sigh.

"Because she'll attract less attention than if she were to walk at the back on her own. Also, there is a market ahead. If we get in quick, she can get something warmer to wear. Unless you want her to catch a chill and die?"

Oh hell no!

Ariel bit her lip as she looked down at Thorin, who was looking up at her, taking in her now rather pale, almost blue complexion, her still damp hair and her thin clothes that she shivered and shook like a leaf on a tree.

After a moment, he quietly shoved her forwards but not before muttering.

"If he tries anything, make a run for it with Bilbo at once, you understand?"

Ariel nodded though it wasn't so committal. Bard may have been snippety and reluctant to help at first, but he didn't strike her as the kind of man that would back out on his word and hurt them, not when he'd helped them get so far.

Indeed he sort of reminded her of her own father, strong and sharp but at the same time caring enough to break the ice, though her father, by comparison, was a lot less grim.

But from what Ariel saw of Lake Town, one needed to be grim to stick it out and survive.

There were houses and buildings, but most were run down wooden structures that looked rather precarious as they stood on thin wooden beams above the walkways constructed over the icy lake surface.

The people also looked rather grubby and careworn as they all worked hard. Fishing, lugging crates, selling goods, their faces hangdog even as some made to look up curiously at the line of dwarves, the hobbit and the girl that followed Bard, though none of them made a move to stop them.

Some even just crossed their paths and nodded a good morning to the bargeman before walking straight past them.

Finally, after what seemed an age, Bard led them into what appeared to be a marketplace, for it had many people perusing or standing behind stalls filled with various items, foodstuffs and clothing.

It was to one of the clothing stalls that Bard was heading for first, and after a few hissed words with the woman, he gave a pointed glance at Ariel, who gulped as she felt Bilbo grip her hand from behind her back, ready to drag her and run at a moment's notice. However, when the woman at the stall saw the girl standing in the cold in nothing but her soaked and ripped clothing, she gave a pitying sigh and seemed to give in to whatever price Bard had been bartering for.

"What's that lake man doing now?" A dwarf growled from somewhere behind her and the hobbit, but Ariel only gave a grateful tremulous smile as Bard handed her what appeared to be a long, worn, dark green hooded coat lined with thick black sheep's wool.

"Here, put this on."

Ariel nodded and did as she was told, sighing as she felt the warm fluffy softness envelope her.

It had felt like an eternity since she'd worn something so comfortable and so dry. And the fact that it was made for a human had not escaped her notice either. Clothing provided to her by the elves, even the bare basics, almost always seemed too fine and too beautiful to be worn every day. There was just something so comforting in wearing this worn-out lumpy garment that made her feel more at home than she ever had on this journey.

She chewed her lip as she remembered what Aragorn had told her at their last parting in Rivendell all those months ago. He was right. No matter how much Ariel had grown to care about the rest of the dwarves and the hobbit, she would always miss the company of other humans.

Other humans…like her parents, her brother and her friends. Her friends…

Ariel felt her heart sting. While she had thought often of her family, she had barely thought about her friends from back home. What were they doing with their lives? Had they gone off to college, were they dating, partying and drinking their eyes out every Saturday night without care? Were they studying, or had they moved out of their family homes to rent an apartment in a far off larger metropolis? Did they even know that she was gone?

Ariel had been so absorbed in trying to stay alive that she hadn't thought about what must be going on at home-

"Halt!" a loud voice called, and Ariel quickly turned to see a man looking at the spot where she Bard and Bilbo were standing, a man wearing a guard's uniform.

Crap!

"quick go!" Thorin hissed as he grabbed both Ariel and Bilbo and began shoving them into the dark space behind the clothes stall as the Lake Town guard yelled out.

"Halt! In the name of the Master, I said Halt!"

Ariel gripped Bilbo's hand tight as she dragged him over to hide with Fili and Kili behind a rack of colourful scarves an older woman had on display at her stall.

"OY! YOU!" a voice yelled, and Ariel ducked as a human made to grab for her arm. She shut her eyes, bracing herself to struggle.

"Oh no, you don't!" someone grunted only for Bilbo's tiny form to ram headlong into the man's stomach as he made to tackle him away. To his surprise, the guard stumbled backwards over a rope that Fili and Kili had tugged tight over the path behind him.

With a loud thud, his head hit the ground, and he fell unconscious.

Ariel looked around and grabbed Bilbo as he swayed a little on the spot he stood.

He had hit the guard's stomach with his head, and it was reeling slightly even as Ariel made to help him duck for cover as Fili and Kili both dragged the guard out of sight to lie beside the feet of the stall keeper. The older woman nodded once with a conspiratorial wink before draping a knitted quilt over the unconscious man as the dwarves scrambled away to join their friends.

"You two alright?" Kili winced as he strained his injured leg from the use.

Ariel nodded, but she was quick to look around.

The others were facing similar problems to them. At the sound of the scuffle, more guards had sprinted into the marketplace and were doing their best to grab the dwarves left, right and centre.

There were clangs and crashes as the Dwarves skilfully managed to take down the fully grown men, using pots, tripping them up and even hitting them with oars or sticks from the boats nearby, much to the quiet admiration of the bedraggled townsfolk.

Eventually, all men were down and out for the count.

But despite the victory, Bard was looking rather tense, for another whole troupe of guards, this time led by their captain had just strode in looking for the source of the commotion.

"What is going on here!" a familiar voice called, and Ariel recognised it as one of the guards that had just searched the barge earlier.

"Stay where you are. Nobody leaves!"

Quickly Ariel stood up.

"No, what are you doing?" Fili hissed, but she only nudged him with her foot and put a finger to her lips, her head jerking in the direction of the rack behind her.

Bilbo guessing her intentions, made to drag the two dwarves into a hiding spot as Ariel turned on her feet to look back to the rack, dipping her head down as she pretended to examine a lumpy woollen scarf.

Through the corner of her eye, she watched as the captain of the guards and his men made towards her spot.

He was a middle-aged man, fairly average in height and portly with a red-cheeked face framed by shoulder-length brown hair with a matching moustache and beard. He held himself haughtily with forced superiority as he surveyed his surroundings. Eventually, his gaze fell on Ariel's red head of hair which was an anomaly amongst the mixes of brunettes, raven-blacks and dirty blondes that filled the marketplace.

"Well, well, well", he smirked as he approached her, licking his hand and smoothing out the top of his head with it. "Aren't you a pretty one? I don't think I've seen you around before."

She shook her head silently, keeping her lips pursed as he made to speak once more.

The captain grinned as he made to step closer. "What's your name?"

Ariel glanced up at him and at once felt really uncomfortable as she saw a dark licentious gleam in the man's eyes as he all but leered down at her. Even if she could talk, she would not have wanted to engage in conversation with this creep.

"Not very talkative, are you? It's alright, lass, I don't bite." He added with a dark chuckle.

Ariel gulped as he made to lean in, virtually trapping her between the rack of scarves behind and his body.

She could feel Bilbo's hands grab at her calves to stop her from leaning into him, but even so, she couldn't help but cringe back as the captain before her smirked in her face.

"You know it's not safe for such a sweet young lass like yourself to be walking about alone. If you wanted, I could, heh, escort you back home. What do you say, sweetheart?"

Ariel bit her lip as she heard a small shuffling of material from behind her and Kili's tiny grunt of:

"Sleazy bastard-"

"What was that?" the guard frowned at the clothes rack, but before he could say anything else, a voice called over the top of any other sound.

"Hey!"

The captain turned his head to see Bard striding up towards him from behind a fishing net close by. Ariel sighed silently with relief. She could have almost hugged the man for his impeccable timing as he strode over to her and said loudly.

"Where were you? You had us worried sick!"

The captain, however, was not happy at the presence of the bargeman.

"You know this young lady?"

"She is my cousin from the mainland. Braga," Bard scowled angrily at the man.

"Oh…" Braga instantly looked uncomfortable and shuffled on his feet. "Oh, I see-"

He took a step away from Ariel quickly as Bard made his way over to her.

"Are you alright?" he muttered when he was close enough.

Ariel nodded as she made to nudge her foot back into the rack.

Bard cottoned on quickly as he jerked his head towards a fisherman's stall some way behind him.

"You know your father has been looking for you for over ten minutes now!"

Another nod, and this time Bard made to sigh dramatically.

"He's at the fisherman's stall with your mother. You should go to him before he tears apart the marketplace looking for you! Go on, off with you."

Ariel tilted her head to the ground, trying her best to look very ashamed as they made to switch places so that he was now hiding her friends from view.

Disgusting…they're all old enough to be her father.

Bard thought as he watched Braga and his guards murmur appreciatively at the girl as she quickly strode past them, their eyes lingering on her slender behind before she turned a corner.

Once she was far enough away, Braga rounded on Bard, his eyes suspicious.

"What are you up to, Bard?"

"Me? nothing" Bard shrugged, but the guard wasn't convinced as he made to shove his way past him.

So far, so good…

Bard gritted his teeth as he saw through the corner of his eye, two of the dwarves in the distance duck down under tables whilst one hid behind a bushel of herbs.

He felt the scarves behind him move and looked over the top of the rack to see Fili, Kili and Bilbo all doing their best to crawl silently away to a small hidden path they'd found that led under a quilt, but towards the path of the guards.

But we need more time…

"Hey Braga", the bargeman called as he whipped up an article of female clothing from a pile of clothes nearby. It was a small lacy black corset.

Braga turned and quickly walked back to him, leaving the way clear for the two dwarves and the hobbit to dash towards the fish stall quickly.

As soon as he was sure the three stowaways were out of sight, Bard held up the corset for Braga to see.

"You're wife would look lovely in this"

Braga frowned.

"What do you know of my wife?"

"Well, I know her as well as any man in this town" Bard smirked as the Captain's face swelled with anger.

With a grunt, he tugged the corset out of Bard's hands and shoved his way past him with a scowl, not noticing the fact that the bargeman was quick to run away into the shadows of the market, along with fourteen other shadows.

---

"The nerve of that man", Gloin snorted like an angry horse as he made to push Ariel through a narrow alleyway from behind gently. "Has he no shame? Pouncing onto young girls when he already has a wife! If I could've just clocked him one-"

"Oh, come on, Gloin, just let it go already. You know how humans are about these things." Oin muttered from somewhere behind as he shared an amused smirk with the other dwarves. They had been going on like this for an hour or so through the back streets of Lake Town, and Gloin still was fuming over Captain Braga's disgusting behaviour.

Ariel rolled her eyes with a fond smile as she meandered behind Bard at the head of the line. From the months she had travelled with the company, she had learned much about Dwarven social standards. While young, unattached dwarves were free to sow their wild oats as they pleased, once they were wed, they stuck to their marital vows like glue for fear of shame should they dare deviate from them in the slightest.

"Da!"

Ariel's thoughts on Dwarven monogamy were cut short as Bard halted in front of her sharply, just as a boy ran up to them.

He only could have been around thirteen years old, with a mop of dark hair atop his head and dark eyes that, like his father's, were currently gleaming with worry as he hissed.

"Da! Our house, it's being watched."

Oh, wonderful…this day just keeps getting better and better!

Ariel pinched the bridge of her nose as she turned back to look at the rest of the company, who were all looking just as exhausted as she felt.

"Damn it!" Bard cursed as he quickly reached out to push Ariel's red-brown hair behind her head before pulling up the coat's hood over to cover it.

"Quick, follow Bain. He'll lead you to the house." then Bard quickly turned and looked toward Kili, who was doing his best not to cringe under the strain of his bandaged leg. "You too, master dwarf. Just keep your head down and stick close to her side, and try to hide your beard. The rest of you follow me."

"Where are you taking them?" Kili asked sharply, but Thorin was quick to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kili, we'll be fine. Stick with Ariel and keep yourselves safe."

Kili looked reluctant to be separated from the company, but when Ariel took him by the hand and made to drag him off to follow Bard's son, he relaxed somewhat.

"I guess it's up to me to keep you out of trouble until my uncle or my brother can return to defend your honour." he pouted as he fell into step beside her.

Ariel's blush deepened as she narrowed her eyes down at Kili as he sniggered under his breath.

"Hey, don't get all huffy and puffy with me. I just tell it like I see it!"

"Shh!" Bain shushed them from up ahead as they came to a small wooden walkway laid out in the open. "This way."

Kili fell silent, though the knowing grin never left his face, and Ariel sighed.

Just how much longer till this day is over!

---

Ariel's grip on Kili's shoulder was tight as they gingerly followed both Bain and Bard up the stairs to a wooden house.

The bargeman had only just joined them on his own, having apparently given the others directions to a secret way towards the back door of his home.

As soon as his son, the girl and the injured dwarf were inside; he whistled out to two men sitting in a boat and fishing at the waterway before his home.

They both looked up just in time to see an apple plop into the bottom of their boat.

"You can tell the master I'm done for the day."

As he stepped over the threshold of the doorway, Kili grunted and winced as a jolt of pain ran through his body from his leg.

Ariel looked down on him, her face pale with both cold and worry, and he tried his best to smile at her, though it came out more like a grimace.

"I'm fine. I just need to sit."

"There are chairs in the dining room just ahead." Bard's voice muttered as he shut the door behind the two of them "you can sit there-"

"DA! Where have you been?!" a young voice called out excitedly, and Ariel looked up to see an adorable nine or ten-year-old brunette girl in a small blue dress and white shirt.

Ariel could not help but smile softly as the child ran up the bargeman and flung herself into his waiting arms just as another girl about her own age came running in from a door to the side.

"Father, there you are. I was worried."

The girl was about to embrace her father when she caught sight of Ariel and Kili, the latter of whom buckled as his leg jolted again with pain.

Thankfully Bard was able to catch the dwarf before he toppled to the floor.

"Sigrid", he muttered to the eldest girl, "fetch some clean water and bindings. Tilda some blankets, and Bain let them in at the back."

"Alright, Da…" Sigrid said awkwardly as she made to back away into the room she just came from, her face confused and suspicious.

Ariel couldn't blame her. If it had been her father who had suddenly turned up at the doorstep with a mute girl and an injured dwarf, she'd also be quite weirded out.

She followed closely as Kili was set down on a small bed in the corner of the living space just as Bain thudded down a set of stairs that led to a small bathroom area.

Ariel frowned as she made to follow the boy till she was halfway down the stairs. There didn't seem to be a back door to the house, only a small area that led off onto lake water.

But then how are the others going to get in unnoticed?

But even as the thought crossed her mind, she saw Bain lift a seat just in time for a familiar bald tattooed head to come up, spluttering and gasping for air.

"IF you ever speak of this to anyone! I'll rip your arms off!"

Bard and Kili both looked up in alarm as Ariel ran back up the stairs at top speed, snorting loudly, her face split into a wide breathy giggle.

"What? What's going on?" Kili tilted his head as his friend made to lean on the wall beside where he was seated and rest her head against the wood, laughing so hard that tears were springing to her eyes.

Ariel couldn't help it. It was just too funny. Twelve dwarves and a hobbit all magically popping out of nowhere from a-.

"Da…why are there dwarves climbing out of our toilet?" Bard's eldest daughter Sigrid frowned, but little Tilda looked excited.

"Will they bring us luck?"

Kili had to laugh at that despite his pain. His grin grew even wider as Dwalin stomped up the stairs soaking wet and scowling.

"Keep yer mouths shut, you rascals", the warrior dwarf snarled at both Ariel and Kili, who quickly coughed to try and compose themselves though they still grinned like amused school children, that is until Kili winced again in pain.

Ariel quickly made her way to the table where a bowl of clean water, a clean cloth and some fresh bandages were lying. As she made to bring them over, Kili obediently began to untie the old bloodstained cloth about his leg doing his best to grit his teeth and push himself through the pain.

"So will I live?" he tried to grin as Ariel made to examine the cut.

Ariel might have smiled at the comment, only now that she saw the wound up close, she felt her gut sink.

It was no longer bleeding, but the skin around it was not looking good at all.

Just what was on that arrow?

Kili's face fell as she stayed silent to his joke and made to quickly focus on cleaning it thoroughly and as delicately as she could.

"Are you both alright?"

Ariel and Kili both looked up to see Fili walking over with a warm blanket draped over his shoulders. In his hands were a small notepad and pencil, which he quickly handed to Ariel.

"That Bard fellow said to give you this so you could write down what you have to say"

Ariel nodded, her face splitting into a small grateful smile as she took the paper and pencil and at once began writing with them.

"How is it when I try and tell her a joke she stays serious, but when you just talk to her, she smiles?" Kili grumbled at his brother.

Fili just smirked and preened himself off with pride as Ariel finished writing down on the first page, which she ripped out and handed to him at once.

Excitedly he took it only for his face to fall at the words written there.

This isn't the time for jokes. Can you fetch Oin to have a look? I think Kili's wound might be infected. Whatever was on that Orc Arrow is really affecting him badly. After he's patched up, he's going to have to change his pants as well because his own is too filthy to keep wearing. Can you try and ask Bard for another pair and help Kili change. I need to talk to Thorin ASAP.

Fili looked up at her with shock and worry but nodded all the same.

"Alright, but why don't you go to Thorin now, and I'll bandage his leg."

Ariel nodded gratefully and left, but Kili still looked confused.

"What did she say?"

"She said to shut up and sit still while you get patched up, you idiot" Fili raised his eyebrows sternly at his brother as he made to rip the torn material of his pants.

Meanwhile, Ariel walked over to Thorin, standing beside a window, looking out onto the town.

Like the others around them, he, too, was garbed in a towel and oversized but dry clothing. He gave her a small nod of acknowledgement as she came close enough to speak softly.

"How are you feeling?"

Ariel gave a tiny thumbs up but then began to quickly write down on her notepad.

I'm fine. How about you?

"I'm fine", Thorin muttered though his face looked haunted as he once again glanced out of the window beside him. Ariel frowned and peered around to see what he was looking at.

Her eyes widened.

Atop a rickety wooden tower-like structure in the distance was a large mechanism fashioned like a strange giant variation of a crossbow.

It looks kinda like the ballista's the Ancient Roman's used to use…

She frowned as a vague image of one of her ancient history textbooks flashed over her mind's eye. She had only remembered the information because of a joke that one of her friends had made in class about the word "Ballista" sounding like the word "Barista". She felt her heart twinge a little at the memory.

Who'd have thought I'd get to see one in real life?

"It's a Dwarvish Windlance", Thorin murmured as he caught sight of her curious expression.

"You look like you've seen a ghost", a voice spoke up softly behind them, and Ariel and Thorin both turned to see Bilbo walk up to them with a cup of tea in his shivering hands, a warm blanket over his shoulders.

"He has", Balin spoke up from where he sat close-by.

"The last time we saw such a weapon…A city was on fire. It was the day the dragon came. The day that Smaug destroyed Dale."

Both Ariel and Bilbo exchanged nervous glances but still listened on, intrigued by the story.

"Girion, the Lord of the City, rallied his bowman to fire upon the beast. But a Dragon's hide is tough. Tougher than the strongest armour. Only a Black Arrow fired from a wind lance could have pierced the dragon's hide, and few of those arrows were ever made. The store was running low when Girion made his last stand."

Ariel was about to put her pencil on the paper pad to write down her next question, but Thorin answered it before she even could lift the instrument.

"Had the aim of Men been true that day much would've been different."

Yes, it would've been…wouldn't it? I mean, if Girion had slain the dragon back then…I wouldn't be here…like this…

Ariel's face fell as she looked down at her own bandaged injuries. Now that she thought about it, she really needed to see all her other injuries on her person.

Che! Goodbye bikinis!

She thought grimly as her hand twitched over her midriff.

Even before being tortured by the Necromancer, she had acquired more bruises and cuts on her body from the road alone than she'd ever done before in her normal life on Earth. Sadly, she wondered that whenever or if ever she returned home, would any one of her friends even recognise her.

She was jolted out of her thoughts by Bard as he made to step forwards towards her, Thorin, Bilbo and Balin, his face filled with grim curiosity.

"You speak as if you were there."

"All dwarves know the tale", Thorin muttered just as Bain came up behind his father with a determined face as he said.

"Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing, one more shot then he would have killed the beast."

But even as he said this, Dwalin snorted from behind him.

"That's just a fairy story, lad, nothing more."

"You took our money" Thorin had ignored the boy and was now growling up at Bard fiercely. "Where are the weapons?"

Ariel did her best to look apologetic behind Thorin's back, but Bard was resolute in his answer.

"Wait right here."

He walked off towards the stairs that led down to the bathroom the dwarves had arrived in, and Thorin quickly turned back to Ariel.

"You wanted to say something earlier?"

Ariel nodded, quickly remembering why she had wanted to approach the dwarf in the first place and at once began to scribble down her message on her pad, handing it to Thorin.

Kili's leg isn't looking too good. I asked Fili to make sure Oin looks at it, but something tells me whatever was on the arrow that shot him cannot mean anything good. The skin looks unhealthy about the wound, possibly infected, and he's beginning to look very pale. He's trying to look strong, but he's not actually holding up as well as he would like us to think.

"Yes, I know, and neither are you for that matter", Thorin murmured, looking up at Ariel as she gave a tiny snivel and shivered even from under her new coat.

However, when she caught his eye, she took back the slip of paper and wrote on the other side.

I'll be fine. I'll sleep as soon as I'm sure we're all accounted for. Meanwhile, what is our plan for the mountain? How much time do we have left till Durin's day?

"Good question. What are we going to do?" Bilbo frowned just as Fili and Kili got up to join them. Kili was limping, but he was steady on his feet. However, Thorin noticed that Ariel had been right in her observations. He was looking very pale and very drained of energy even as he made to whisper.

"So what's going on? Do we have a plan?"

"Not yet" Thorin shook his head. "But tomorrow begins the last days of Autumn."

"and Durin's Day falls morn after next", Balin continued. "We must reach the mountain before then."

"And if we do not", Kili quickly looked over his shoulder to check if anyone else was listening. "If we fail to find the hidden door before that time?"

"Then this quest has been for nothing" Fili frowned.

Ariel quickly made to tap Thorin's shoulder as she caught sight of Bard walking back up the stairs holding onto a long scuffed up bag.

As he set it on the wooden dining table in the centre of the room, all the company of Thorin gathered around excitedly, their breaths catching in their chests as they awaited the man to unwrap the cloth to reveal…an assortment of rag-tag, misshapen and home-made hammers, pole-arms, harpoons and knives.

Well, it's not much…but it's better than nothing…

Ariel smiled to herself as she spotted what once had been a tall broom-handle but now had the blades of a hook attached to the end. She quickly took it, feeling the weight and was delighted to find it weighed almost the same as her old staff had.

Yeah, I could get used to using this…

She mused as she made to tilt the head gently.

However, the others didn't seem to share her sentiment.

Indeed, there were many disappointed grunts and groans as Thorin looked up at the weapon in Ariel's hand.

"What is this?" he snarled, and Bard frowned.

"It's a pike hook. Made from the end of a harpoon."

"And this?" Kili tilted his head as he examined a small stone mallet on a pole.

"A crow bill, we call it. Fashioned from a smithy's hammer. It's heavy in hand, I grant, but in defence of your life, these will serve you better than none."

But the dwarves were not happy.

"We paid you for weapons", Gloin growled, "iron-forged swords and axes."

"It's a joke."

Ariel seethed as she watched every one of the dwarves slam their weapons back onto the table.

"You won't find better outside the city armoury. All iron-forged weapons are held there under lock and key," Bard tried to say only for more of the dwarves to grumble.

Talk about being ungrateful! First Bilbo, then me, then Beorn and then this man? Someone who has almost risked his own family and his life to smuggle you in and look after you, and you go in and insult him?!

Had it not been for the fact that she was admiring Bard's absolute self-control, she would have slapped every one of her friends hard, save for Balin and Kili. However, Ariel noticed that he was only not complaining since he was using his weapon as a prop to stand as the older dwarf hissed to his uncle.

"Thorin, why not take what's on offer and go? I've made do with less, and so have you. I say we leave now-"

But Bard cut across him.

"You're not going anywhere."

"What did you say?" Dwalin snarled.

"There are spies watching this house, and probably every dock and wharf in the town", Bard snapped "you must wait till nightfall."

The dwarves all looked at one another before looking at Thorin, who gave them all a stern nod after a full moment of thought.

Bard sighed with relief as the dwarves made to disperse about the house's main room, talking and muttering darkly to themselves, all save Ariel, who had scribbled something on her note pad. Bard watched warily as she quietly tore off the section she had written on and slipped it on the table just at his fingertips.

I'm sorry, they're acting so ungrateful. You've done so much to help us already, and we truly cannot thank you enough. If there's anything any of us can do to repay you, please let me or Balin know. We'll try and sort them out.

"Thank you," Bard nodded, the corners of his lips quirking upwards for a brief moment as he handed the pad back to her. "However, you need not apologise on your friends' behalf. I understand dwarves are a proud and stubborn lot-I'm sorry, are you alright? Whoa! Easy lass-easy-"

There was a horrible choking sound, and the dwarves all turned in time to see Ariel's knees buckle beneath her. Gasping violently, she all but collapsed into Bard, who was quick to catch her before she hit the ground, her hands clutching desperately at her burned throat.

"Quick, make some space!" Bard called as she lurched out of his arms towards one of the dining room tables to steady herself.

She was doubled over, choking so hard that she was almost retching for air that wasn't able to get in. It was like someone had taken an invisible searing hand and was squeezing at her throat very tightly.

"Ariel, hold on, just breathe" Bilbo was at the girl's side, doing his best to rub at her back soothingly. "Quick, get her some water-Ariel!"

There was a tiny gasp from little Tilda to the side as Ariel coughed hard, and a bubble of blood burst from her searing throat just as her fingers grip slipped right off the wooden chair.

At once, many dwarvish hands reached forwards to grab at the girl and gently put her down to the floor just as Bard called frantically to his son.

"Bain, go fetch Albus, quick!"

But even as he spoke, Ariel gave a deep gasp for breath as suddenly the invisible hand released her airways from their horrible hold.

"Stand back! Stand back! Give her some space." Oin swatted the others away before quietly calling in as gentle a voice as he could muster in his panicked state, "Lass! Lass! Can you hear me?"

Ariel barely managed to turn her head, though she still saw dark spots before her dazed eyes, which were quickly beginning to connect and turn into one single sheet of black emptiness.

"Lass! Lass! Come on, stay with me!" Oin's voice was faint to her in the blackness of her mind that was suddenly filled with a deep rumbling growl.

"Hello, my pet."

Sauron…

Ariel didn't even have the strength to struggle anymore as the Dark Lord's voice hissed in her mind.

"You might have escaped my fortress, little Loitare, but do not think for one second that you have escaped ME."

What…what is going on?

"Oh, this?" Sauron sneered, and Ariel spluttered as she felt the invisible burning hand squeeze even tighter like a boa constrictor wrapped around its prey. "This is just a little demonstration for your dear mother. A little taste of what's to come should she or that father of yours decide to interfere with my plans."

My…parents? But-but they aren't here! They aren't in Middle Earth?!

Ariel gasped for breath, and Sauron chuckled.

"Oh, aren't they?"

Ariel could hardly see the company now with all the black spots starting to pop in front of her vision, but that didn't stop her from struggling as hard as she could against the unseen force clamped over her airways.

"Your voice is mine now…you are mine now!"

Never!

Ariel growled back, although she could feel herself slipping away.

I will not give you my powers. I will never give you my soul. I didn't break when you tortured me, and I won't break now!

"We shall see little Loitare. We shall see."

The snarling voice trailed off into a purr which quickly was silenced as Ariel finally succumbed and fell into darkness.