AN: It's Marina Oakenshield. I got tired of it so I changed it to Filisgirl251. Just a heads up to my followers and favorites. Its the same writer
Chapter 19
Getting into Laketown
I walked away as the dwarves talked to the man about getting a ride on the boat that the man had behind him. I stood away and could hardly hear them talking as I stared at the river with my arms wrapped around my body. The arrow that hit Kili was meant for me, but Kili took it for me and now he was suffering.
"You shouldn't have done that." Fili's voice came.
"I wanted to help and getting Kili to safety after being shot was one of the ways." I said.
"No, Bell. That orc was aiming at you. He was meaning to kill you to get to me. He knows your courting a line of Durin." Fili said, anger was clear in his voice. I spun on him.
"You can't always protect me. Why do you worry so much?!" I ask.
"Because if you were to die now. I would never love another woman. Dwarves only love once." Fili said.
"Hobbits only live till their 100. You dwarves live longer then us. So you'll outlive me." I said.
"I don't care. All I want you is to be safe and I can't do that when your running into danger." Fili said.
"I can't help it. I signed up for this quest and I plan to see it through. Stop treating me like I'm a piece of glass. I need to think. Don't talk to me and don't touch me." I said, storming away from Fili. I arrived back to see the dwarves helping the man get the barrels on the barge. Fili joined shortly afterwards.
"Get on the boat." Thorin said. We get in.
"Two halflings with a bunch of dwarves? That's strange." The man said.
"Just good friends. I'm Bilbo. This is my daughter, Bell." Bilbo said. I give a small smile.
"I'm Bard." Bard said. I shivered and Bard handed me a blanket.
"Thank you." I said. I wrapped my blanket around me. I saw Fili sitting next to Kili and sat away from them. I got curious looks from the Company and saw Balin and Thorin share looks. Bilbo joins me.
"What's wrong with you and Fili?" Bilbo asked.
"We just had a fight. I just don't want to sit by him right now." I said. Bilbo nodded and didn't press me for any more answers. I laid my head on Bilbo's shoulder and drifted off to sleep as the barge started moving. I woke up to a shout.
"Watch out!" Bofur called. I saw that we were in the lake now and a huge formation had come out of the fog. Bard steered the ship out of the way and I saw that the formation was ancient ruins.
"What are you trying to do, drown us?" Thorin asked.
"I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I were to drown you, I would not do it here." Bard said.
"Oh I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him." Dwalin said.
"Ohh, Bard, his name's Bard." Bilbo said with anger in his voice.
"How do you know?" Bofur asked.
"Because he told us." I said. I felt Fili's eyes on me, but I refused to look at him.
"I don't care what he calls himself, I don't like him." Dwalin said.
"We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come on now, lads, turn out your pockets." Balin said.
Fili's POV. Bell wouldn't look at me as us dwarves gave the money to Balin.
"What's up with you two?" Kili asked.
"We just had a fight that's all. Thank you for saving her." I said.
"I couldn't see you suffer if she was hurt, but I hate seeing you suffer because you hurt her for getting into a fight. You need to talk to her." Kili said.
"She doesn't want to right now. I'm gonna give her some space." I said. Kili sighed.
Bell's POV.
"There's, um, just a problem. We're ten coins short." Balin said. Thorin crossed his arms and sighed, looking at Gloin.
"Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have." Thorin said.
"Don't look at me. I have been bled dry by this venture! And what have I seen for my investment? Naught but misery and grief and..." Gloin stopped as all the dwarves stood up. I looked from where I sat to see Erebor come into view.
"Erebor." I whisper. Gloin pulls out a pouch and hands it to Balin.
"Bless my beard. Take it. Take all of it!" Gloin said. Bilbo coughs as Bard approaches.
"The money, quick, give it to me." Bard said.
"We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before." Thorin said.
"If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards u ahead." Bard said. I look and saw the rooftops of Laketown in the distance. Thorin nods and Balin gives Bard the money. "Get in the barrels." I head with the dwarves to get in the barrels, but Bard stops me. "I can pass you off as a child that lost her home in an orc raid. They'll let you through." I give a nod and saw Fili give a look back nervously. I looked away and sat down near the back of the barge as the dwarves got in the barrels. The barge comes to a stop at a dock outside the city. Bard jumps off to speak to a man.
"Shh, what's he doing, lass?" Dwalin asked.
"He's talking to someone." I said. Bard points back at his barrels as he talks. "And he's pointing right at the barrels!" Bard shakes hands with the man. "Now they're shaking hands." I bit back a laugh as I realize what Bard was doing.
"What?!" Thorin asked.
"The villian! He's selling us out!" Dwalin said. I watched as the men dump the fish right in the barrels and I let out a giggle, happy I wasn't in the barrels. Bard get back in and starts moving the barge.
"Oh god." Nori's voice came. Groans came from the barrels and Bard kicked the nearest barrel.
"Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate." Bard said.
"Halt! Goods inspection. Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard." The Gatekeeper said. Bard stops the barge to a stop near the gatekeeprs office.
"Morning, Percy." Bard said.
"Anything to declare?" Percy asked.
"Nothing, but that I am cold and tired, and ready for home. I found this young girl wondering by the river. She lost her family and home to an orc raid. Just giving her a place to stay." Bard said, as he handed the papers over to Percy.
"Poor thing. You and me both." Percy said, taking the papers and goes into his office. Bard looks around, nervous. Percy comes back out. "Here we are. All in order." Percy hands out Bard's but a greasy man grabs the papers from Percy.
"Not so fast. Whose this?" The man said, eyeing me and I flinched away.
"An orphan that I decided to take in. She lost her family and home to orcs." Bard said.
"Sad." The man said, not sounding to happy. The man reads the papers. "Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard." The man tosses the papers into the wind. I had to bite my lip from lashing out at the man. I saw soldiers appear behind the man as he approaches Bard. "If I recall correctly, you're licensed as a bargeman, not a fisherman." The man picks up one of the fish from the barrel and holds it up to Bard. I saw Bombur's eyes peering out of the gap in the fish. Luckily the man didn't say anything.
"That's none of your business." Bard said.
"Wrong. It's the Master's business, which it makes it my business." The man said.
"Oh come on, Alfrid, have a heart. People need to eat." Bard said.
"These fish are illegal." Alfrid said. He throws the fish he was holding in the water. "Empty the barrels over the side!" The soldiers move to do what ordered. I knew I should do something, but I couldn't give the dwarves away.
'No.' I thought, terrified as the men start tipping the barrels and letting the fish fall in the river.
"Folk in this town are struggling. Times are hard. Food is scarce." Bard said.
"That's not my problem." Alfrid said.
"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 asked. Alfrid and Bard did a stare down as the soldiers continued to dump the fish. Alfrid raises his hand.
"Stop!" Alfrid said. The soldiers set the barrels down and return to the building. I sighed softly in relief. "Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last." Alfrid walks away.
"Raise the gate!" Percy calls. The gate is raised and Bard poles the barge through the gate. Alfrid turns as he passes.
"The Master has his eye on you, you'd do well to remember. We know where you live!" Alfrid shouted.
"It's a small town,Alfrid, everyone knows where everyone lives." Bard said. I smiled in happiness. We were in Laketown. We were one step closer to the Lonely Mountain.
AN: I had to add some drama in this. Don't worry. They'll make up soon. I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be up soon.